Hope
by Cheese1
Summary: A lot of angst is coming up for Booth and Brennan, there is much to go through and we discover another dark chapter of brennan's past.... will they solve the case and will Booth and Bones be safe and together in the end?
1. Chapter 1

This fanfiction is called Hope.. it is the first fanfiction I wrote and it was intended to be a shortie, but exploded to over 30 chapters, if I am not mistaken... I am going to put all the chapters up, but it may take a while ;)

As I already mentioned occiasonally, I am from Austria and my first language is german... so please just overlook the mistakes that sureley are in my stories ;)

Chapter 1  
„Of closed cases and fan mail"

Booth knocked on Brennan's appartment door, clutching a bag with Wong Fo's food. He waited, but nothing happened. He knocked again. „Bones, I know you are there." he said. „I've got food. I just thought – mhm – well we could celebrate the case we closed today?" he added. „Bones?" he asked again, louder now.

There was a sound from the inside of the apartment. He heard slow, scuffling steps moving near the door. He frowned at the sound. Slow and scuffling? That was so NOT Bones. Usually she was absolute determined, resolute and would never admit weakness.

He heard her fumbling with the lock for some time and finally she opened the door. He was shocked. She was extremely pale with cold sweat on her forehead and her hands trembling. No, he had to correct himself, she is trembling – her whole body. She wore a grey bath robe and her hair seemed to be wet.

„Bones!" he said. „What's wrong? You look terrible!" She managed a half-grin „Well, I FEEL terrible, you know" she whispered with a surprisingly weak voice. She swayed and he tossed the bag away and stepped forward, catching her. Booth scooped her up and carried her to her couch, carefully helping her to lay down. „Thank you" she managed to say. „Can I get you something?" Booth asked „Water, maybe?". She nodded and he went to the kitchen.  
When he came back with the water, he sat down beside her and looked down at her. „I guess I have never seen you ill, Bones".

„Booth, this is not normal!" she said, after sipping a bit of water.  
„Hey, Bones, even you have to fall ill sometimes – that's life!" he answered.  
„No, Booth, you don't understand. This is NOT normal. I felt okay all the day. You have seen me about 3 hours ago and I was fine, remember?" she said, massaging her aching temples. Booth nodded „Yeah, right!" „Booth," she continued „I felt well until about 20 or 30 minutes ago - this is going too fast – that can't be normal. "

Booth's eyes narrowed. „What where you doing, Bones?"  
„Well, I came home from the lab about an hour ago and took a shower. Then I had a look at my mail and suddenly I felt so odd and I had to sit down" she reported feebly. „I really don't understand what happened. All seemed normal, until..." suddenly she stopped. Her eyes widened and she slowly lifted her left hand. There was a thin, but red line on the palm. Even as she stared at it, she felt, how hot the palm felt. Not only hot, feverish.  
„The mail..." she whispered.

„What do you mean?" Booth asked. She cleared her throat and answered slowly „I guess this wasn't really fan mail". She showed him the red line on her palm. He reached for it to examine it, but she screamed „ No, don't touch me, you could get infected".  
He shrugged „Bones, I have already touched you. You did not levitate to the couch, you are not one of the X-men." He expected her to answer with a „I don't understand that", but she did not answer. Obviously she was too weak – and that scared the hell out of him.  
„What did you mean with 'it wasn't fan mail', Bones?"  
She closed her eyes and than blinked, forcing herself to concentrate. She made a vague gesture towards the kitchen table. „The mail. I got a parcel with a present in it. A glass pyramide. I was wondering why someone would send me a glass pyramide, especially such an ugly one. The attached note read 'from your biggest fan". It had a sharp edge, that's how I got that cut" she lifted her palm again. Could it be possible, that the cut had become even redder? Her vision blurred and she blinked again.

Booth rose and went over to the kitchen table to examine the glass pyramide. „Don't touch it" Temperance warned him. He gave her a disapprovingly look „Bones, maybe I am not as smart as you are, but I am not a complete idiot. You might have forgotten, but I am FBI, I do know how to treat a piece of evidence." The only reaction was, that she closed her eyes again. He had never seen her like that: weak, exhausted. It made him feel very uncomfortable. I really care for her, he thought.  
„Bones, do you have a clean bag somewhere?" he asked, now in a softer voice.  
„Mhm" she murmured „Drawer, left side of the sink."  
He opened the drawer, took out the bags and quickly put the pyramide and the note in two bags – careful not to touch them.

„Booth" he heard her low voice. „Yeah, coming" he answered and hurried back to her.  
„Booth, I think you have to inform the FBI. They will have to examine all that. And I guess I have to be put in quarantine once again. You too, I fear. This is no virus I have ever heard of." Brennan said. Booth nodded, he took out his mobile phone and made the calls. He knew, the FBI would inform the epidemic prevention team.

He reached over to Brennan and took her right hand, it felt hot, sweaty and limp. „Don't" she said. „It's okay, Temperance" he said. And so they waited in silence.

Suddenly there was a ringing. „My mobile" she sighed „It's in my jacket." she told Booth. He got up to get the mobile, then handed it over to her. She answered „Brennan" in a low voice. It was Angela. Booth could hear every word.

„Hey, sweetie! Guess what, we just got a call from the FBI. There is a medical emergency somewhere; they fear there could be an epidemic, so we have to share the lab to find out what's going on, 'cause we got the best equipment. They said, after the descrïption they got, it might be a completely unknown virus; I thought you might be interested in that. You want to come over?" she chattered. Brennan cleard her throat: „Ange, I can't come. You know, that medical emergency – uhm – that's me!".

„WHAT?" Angela screamed. Brennan blinked and then passed the mobile on to Booth „Explain, please." she whispered, a pleading expression on her face.

He took the phone „Hi, Angela, here's Booth." „Booth? What happened ... wait, what are you doing at Brennan's?" Angela asked.  
„Is that important now?" he shot back. „Listen, Angela. I came here about half an hour ago and Bones was already ill. We think someone sent her a so-called present to infect her with that unknown virus. She cut her hand, so the stuff could easily go directly into her blood – and I guess that was the intention. The epedemic prevention team should be here soon. I guess we are going to be put under quarantine. Please do your best to help solve that. Bones doesn't really look good, you know? This is serious, Angela. And don't think of coming here – you can help us more if you stay at the lab." He heard footsteps on the stair, he knew they were coming. „They are here now, Angela, I'll give you an up-date as soon as I know more, okay?" He said.  
„Uhm, okay, tell Bren, I'll pray for her" Angela stammered. Booth managed a smile „She is going to ask „for what purpose", you know that!" „I know. Booth, just... please take care of her, okay? Angela answered. „I will" Booth said and hang up. He looked at Brennan's sweaty, pale face and thought 'I'll do my best'.

Then the door was opened. '3 Darth Vaders' he thought, when he watched the three people coming in, masked and in the protection overalls. He looked down at Brennan. Her eyes were closed and he knew, she had fallen unconscious.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2  
„I really dont like hospitals"

Booth had been watching over Brennan's sleep until he fell asleep himself in the chair beside her bed. First the doctors wanted to seperate them, but he had refused. „If we are both going to be put under quarantine we can also stay together." And finally they had given up. He had made some calls, informed Angela... and then there was nothing to do, except watching Temperence. Normally he liked watching her, but normally she did not look as if she was dead... or at least dying. But he did not want to leave her, so he had watched her for hours, that pale face of hers until he had fallen asleep.

He woke, when he heard something. It was another Darth-Vader-Doctor, checking on Brennan's vital functions. Booth waited for the doctor to say something, but he only shook his head. Booth knew, what that meant: No change. Bones was still unconscious and feverish, her breath too low and her heart pounding too fast.

„Do you know what it is?" he asked the doctor. „A kind of very aggressive flu. But we are still searching for similar cases" the weird voice said. Booth nodded. 'Nothing really new'  
He took a deep breath. 'I really do not like hospitals' he thought 'I do not like that smell, I do not like the white walls and I do not like the blue Darth Vaders!" Again he looked back to Temperence. But he liked her. More than she knew.

Booth sighed. He rose and went to the small bath room to wash his face – to get his mind cleared. When he came back he saw Brennan stirring. He hurried to her bed „Bones!". But she did not wake up. Feeling uncomfortable he started walking around in the small room, like a tiger in a cage. Suddenly there was a knock at the door and he heard the typical sound of breathing through a mask. „Hey Booth" the blue figure said and Booth recognized Angela. „Hi Angela." he murmured.

„Right at the moment I can not really help them at the lab... artists do not really know much about that sort of thing, you know. So I thought I could come over and, well, keep company with you. And of course visit Bren, although I know she's unconscious." Angela explained and came closer to Brennan's bed. When she caught sight of Brennan's pale face she let out a little cry „Oh, Temperence – sweetie." she sobbed and carefully petted Brennan's right hand. She wanted to touch her, but it was impossible. „I hate wearing that awful overall" she said and sat down at the chair beside Brennan's bed. Booth placed himself on the second bed. He had not intended to lay down there, but now the chair was occupied and he could not walk around the room all the time.

„They have not found any finger prints, have they?" he finally asked, breaking the silence. Angela shrugged „No, only Brennan's of course. On that cursed pyramide there were only her finger prints, the same with that note. The parcel is covered with prints, but they are pretty convinced that they all belong to FedEx people." Again there was only silence. So there they were, waiting for something... hopefully something positive. 


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3  
„Squint-work"

Hodgins had worked like a manic, but he had found out nothing really helpful. He hated being without any clue. The lab was crowded with FBI people and other scientists. The Jeffersonian cooperated with the FBI laboratory to speed up the investigation but both teams were not able to report anything new. 

Zach too had given his best, Cam tried to coordinate everything, but still they knew nothing. NOTHING. Hodgins decided to go through it all once again, it would do no harm, he thought. Again he looked at the few pieces of evidence. The ugly glass pyramide. The note. The parcel. The note had been written with an average ballpoint pen – no hidden information there. Average paper, no big suprise. He wondered about that glass pyramide... they had not found out, where it came from. They googled on glass pyramides and they had found some pictures, but there was nothing as tawdry and ugly. He did not know, where that awful thing could have been bought. The pyramide had very sharp edges, it was not really some piece of art... and it had been covered with that virus. When Dr. Brennan had cut her hand the virus had made it's way through her blood.

Then suddenly it struck him. 'Pyramides. Of course!' he thought. What if that pyramide has not been bought in the US but had been some kind of souvenir from Egypt?  
He could not believe, that he had wasted hours until he had come to that simple conclusion. 'What a scientist' he thought. He looked at the pyramide once again.  
A souvenir, yeah, that would be something cheap and ugly. He had never been to Egypt, but he knew, whom he could contact. His fellow student and friend Richard had moved to Egypt to help investigate old pharao graves. Hodgins had to grin, as he recalled, that Richard had always been fascinated about Egypt. That's why they had called him „scarab".

He knew Richard had published something in the last scientist's magazine he had read and after a short while he found the article. „The scarab, a stunning creature" read the headline. Underneath he found a picture and the contact data of Richard. 'Okay, scarab' he thought 'Let's see, if you can help me'.

Zach did not really know what to think. Dr. Brennan was in danger and he really wanted to help, but what should he do? There were no bones to examine and all the other things were not really his special field. But could he really proceed to usual work and deal with that 800 year old bones that were waiting for him? No not exactly for him, actually Dr. Brennan should have examined them, because she was the famous anthropologist everybody wanted to work on „his bones".

That was an idea... he suddenly recognized that he remembered Dr. Brennan meeting with a male collegue of hers, who had insulted her.  
„Greedy" „publishing private details for money" „full of egotism" he recalled.

„What?" the female FBI agent that had been working next to him stared at him.  
„Uhm, did I say that loud?" Zach shrugged „Never mind".  
He rushed over to the computer... he had to search for information on that collegue.  
It was not really a trace, more a feeling, although Zach would never admit that, but it was better than doing nothing.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4  
„Feel"

„No news. You have to wait. That is all I ever hear of you... You know what: It's driving me crazy!" Booth yelled in his mobile. Angela had left 2 hours ago and he had not been able to sleep or settle his mind. Brennan's condition had not changed.

His FBI collegues had just given him a call to have an up-date ... an up-date on exactly NOTHING. Once again he checked, if Brennan had moved... no. Not a big suprise. She had only stirred once. Another time he thought he had heard her sigh and whisper his name, but he was not sure... maybe he started imagining things. He stared at the motionless body and shook his head... why did he feel so hopeless?

His mobile rang. He looked at the small display. Hodgins. 'There's hope in that', he thought. „Booth" he answered. „Hi Booth. Any news about Dr. Brennan." - „No."  
„Oh, uhm, well better no change, than bad news, I guess. Booth I found something, it may not lead us anywhere but... that ugly pyramide. It's coming from Egypt. It's a very common souvenir but some years ago they stopped using the glass pyramides, they are only doing plastic now. So it's from somebody who's been to Egypt some 10 years ago." Hodgins reported. Booth rubbed his chin. „Well, it's not much, but better than nothing" he replied.

„Wait, Booth, there's more. I'll pass you on to Zach."  
„Hello Agent Booth" Zach said „I have found out something too. I have been to an anthropologist congress with Dr. Brennan about a month ago. And I remembered that a collegue of her had insulted her... you know for writing novels and using private details. I did not really get the meaning of that, but: I found out the name... and guess what:  
He's been to Egypt 9 years ago... for doing expertises on mummies. The name is Dr. Christian Skinner. He had been a collegue of Dr. Brennan at the university... he must have started late to study, 'cause he's 44 years old now" Zach sputtered. „And the FBI found out, when the parcel has been given to FedEx... yesterday around 12:00!"

„Good! At least there is a trace..." Booth replied. „I can't do anything here, as you know I am under quarantine... you have given the information to the FBI agent in charge?"  
„Not yet, we just found out and wanted to inform you immediately" Zach admitted. „Well, thanks... you squints rock" Booth said without great enthusiasm. „We ROCK?" Zach wondered. „Yeah... thank you... I'll call you if there is any change, okay?" Booth hung up.

Slowly he strode back to Brennan's bed and sat down beside her. He took her hand and whispered: „You heard that, Bones? They have a trace... They are going to work that out... I mean... they are the squints, hm?" He knew, she could not hear all that, so he was more comforting himself than her, but what else could he do...?  
'She is going to feel, that there is somebody watching over her, taking care... yes, she is going to feel, going to know.' he told himself.

„I am here Bones, okay... it will be alright" he murmured and it hurted him so much to see no reaction, no motion. He would have given anything to hear one of her snappy answers, like „I am perfectly able to look after me MYSELF, I don't need you Booth!" or „Booth, don't get sentimental!" or „Is that again alpha male behaviour?". But her lips did not move.

He leaned forward. „Don't you dare to die, Bones!" he whispered in her ear.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5  
„Trace or no trace"

A few hours later...

„So," the FBI agent said „Mr. Skinner... let's talk a bit about your last meeting with Dr. Brennan."  
„Dr. Skinner... how come you call her DOCTOR Brennan and me just Mister? Oh, of course, she is FAMOUS..." he spat that last word out as if it had burned his tongue.

The two FBI agents looked at each other. 'There's a weak spot' that look said. The female agent that had started the interrogation glanced back at DOCTOR Skinner ... the file said he was 44, but he looked ten years older. She had seen old pictures and had realized he always had looked older than he really were... nearly bald head, some wrinkles, not ugly but definetely unsympathetic... but FBI agents could not arrest somebody on just being not sympathetic.

„Well, okay, sorry. Dr. Skinner... please tell me about that little fight you had with Dr. Brennan, when you met her last month" she asked.

„Fight? There was no fight... I just told her, that I do not like how she is exploiting our work for writing!" Dr. Skinner said, calmer now.

„We have a witness, that told us you have insulted her to be greedy and full of egotism... and you have said she published private details to earn money with... DID you say that, Dr. Skinner?" No answer. „Dr. Skinner?" she insisted.

„Well maybe... something similar, but why does that bother you, what happened"... he admitted.

„I may not speak about that in details, but somebody attacked her...So, I assume, she has written something in one of her novels, that you considered being private... maybe private stuff about you?" she asked.

Skinner seemed to be nervous. „Well... yes... I mean... she ... in that book she is writing about a homosexual, elder fellow student of the main character... she is only mentioning him shortly in a kind of flash-back, you know, but... there were not many people, who knew I am homosexual these days and there are not many now,... so I was pretty fed up, when I read that... anybody who has been to the University the same time could conclude that now... private stuff, you know!"

„But Dr. Brennan always said all people used in the novels are fictional... her partner for instance does look different from the one she describes in her books...uhm ... where have you been Tuesday around lunch time, Dr. Skinner?"

„That's easy... I had a meeting with two collegues... we are working together on a project... we will publish an extraordinary report, you know..." „Dr. Skinner" she interrupted him „I am sure, it would be interesting, but I am even more interested in the name of the two collegues you mentioned".

He gave her the names and telephone numbers.

„Dr. Skinner... do you have a secretary?" she asked „that could deliver parcels for you, for instance?"

He laughed „I have nobody here... no secretary, no friend, OBVIOUSLY no wife... it's just me... I have been to the jungle in south america for nearly 3 years and came back 2 months ago... I am glad I still have collegues to keep in touch with and even if it's only for work. I think we had a nice little chat, but I guess that's all I can tell you, okay?" he wanted them to leave; that was easy to see.

„Just one more question, Dr. Skinner... you have been to Egypt 9 years ago, is that correct?" „Yes" he answered, looking stunned... „What has that to do with Dr. Brennan?"

„Sorry, I can't really explain that... Have you brought any souvenirs with you?" she asked.

„Not really... you see, as I am always travelling I never bring souvenirs... I would not be at home to look at them for long, you understand... feel free to ask anybody about that... I never bring souvenirs, it's just a fact, okay? Are we finished?" Dr. Skinner asked.

She nodded and escorted him outside the interrogation room, while her collegue made some notes.

Booth had fallen asleep again, but immediately woke, when his mobile rang. „Booth" he answered. He shot a quick glance at Brennan... as expected – and feared – no visible changes. 

„Agent Booth, this is Agent Kramer. I just had an interrogation here with Dr. Skinner... he has an alibi for the time the parcel has been forwarded and I have confirmation that he never brought souvenirs from his voyages... of course this doesn't mean anything... it still may be him, but I just wanted to keep you informed" his collegue said.

„Well... thanks... any other traces so far?" Booth asked, but he already knew the answer. „No, I am sorry"

Booth stretched and yawned. He looked at his watch... 10:55 am ... It's been around 9 in the evening when he had come to her apartment. He had thought of a nice evening with Wong Fo's food, wine and teasing her a bit. Instead it had been a nightmare coming true.

Thinking of nightmares... he recalled the last time his son had a nightmare... he had comforted him and had told him, that life was not like that and that everything would be alright. He was not so sure of this himself right now.

'Tomorrow is Friday, I should pick up Parker', he reminded himself 'I'll better call his mother and tell her I might not be able to do so...but I could come in one of that ridiculous blue overalls to pick him up... argh, what nonsense... quarantine is quarantine... and I won't leave her anyway' he thought.

He took his mobile out again and made the call. Parker as not happy, but he could not change it.

Even as he hung up, he heard something... First he could not believe it, but it was really true: Brennan's lips had moved and her eyes where open. She blinked. „Booth" she whispered, hardly audible. „Bones!" he said „How are you?" 'What an idiotic question' he thought.  
She could not answer, her lips were too dry and she was too weak. „You need water?" Booth asked. „Mhm" was all she could mumble.

He hurried to the bath room to fetch her some water and then helped her drink a bit.  
„I am grateful you woke up" he murmured. „I feared..." he did not say any more, because she closed her eyes again. „...tired..." she whispered and only moments later she was again asleep. But he knew she was sleeping not unconcious ... and sleeping was positive.

He smiled... he felt a bit light in the head. 'Thank you God' he thought and called Angela to inform her.


	6. Chapter 6

I know the chapters before were shorter, but now there is a longer one, I hope you like it...

Chapter 6  
„Eyes wide open"

Light. Bright light – in fact too bright light. That was the first thing she sensed. She closed her eyes again. 'Hospital, okay, I know where I am. That's something to start with.' she thought. She tried to recall what had happened, but there where only single pictures coming up... she was not quite sure if they were all real or mixed up with her dreams. Booth. She opened her eyes again... okay that had not been a dream. He really was there in the same room. She closed her eyes once more. The light still seemed a bit too bright, but it was bearable. She opened them again. Booth had not noticed she woke, so she just watched him.

He sat on the second bed in the room, using a fat book balancing on his knees as table and was writing something... Was he really writing something? She was not quite sure, but she saw his face was full of concentration. She was curious, what he might be doing, so she cleared her throat. He jumped at the sound.  
„Booth" she said „What are you doing?" Her voice was still low, but he could hear her. He smiled „So you finally woke up, Sleeping Beauty?" „What?" she asked stunned. „Bones, please don't tell me you don't know that fairytale!" he said astonished.  
„Ah, fairytale, right, I know that" she murmured.

„You look better now, you know" he said after watching her intensly.  
„Ah, thank you... since I am still feeling bad, I assume I must have looked absolutely ...horrible." „You did" he agreed.  
„Thanks for that, Booth, cheer me up!" she shot back.

„Ah, same old Bones, it's really good to hear that snappy comments again, you know!" he grinned.  
„Booth, you still haven't answered my question,... what where you doing?"

„Ah, that,..." he smiled again „I am drawing". „Drawing?" she couldn't believe that. „What?"  
„I have to explain... well Parker and I had a phone conversation earlier, you know... and as we couldn't spend the weekend together..."  
„My fault - sorry for that Booth!" she interrupted him.

He looked at her very seriously and said „Temperence, you nearly died. Don't blame yourself!" ... Then he continued in light conversation tone „...as I have said I talked to Parker... he said after not spending the weekend together, the least I can do is ... uhm, ... well ...draw you a „Get-Well" drawing instead of him. This child is stubborn, you know, there was no way of getting out of that. He even told me exactly what to draw, but he was deserted when I told him I only got a black roller ball pen to draw this!"  
He wore a smile that made him looking so much alike his son it was just stunning. He mimicked the voice of his son „No colours, Daddy?"

Brennan smiled „I like Parker" she said „Show me the drawing" „Nope... it's not finished yet!" he shrugged. „Coward!" They both laughed.

Suddenly Brennan's eyes narrowed a bit. „Uhm, Booth. Could... could you get me a nurse?" He looked alarmed „Is something wrong, Bones?" ...  
„Ah,... no... not really, you know, could you just get me a nurse and well... uhm go somewhere else for sometime?" she murmured embarassed.  
For one instant he looked deeply hurt... it touched her heart. „Well, if you don't want me around, Bones..." he said. „Oh, Booth" she sighed „I did not say THAT, did I? It's just... sometimes women got something to do, ... uhm ... and they don't want a man around – especially the partner..." She blushed a bit.

„Oh!" he grinned... then his grin suddenly vanished and he blushed too „Ah, well, Bones, I guess you wont need a nurse... uhm,... I guess you wont even have to get up..."

She looked at him and suddenly her eyes narrowed again „No,... Booth, don't tell me they used..." „... a bladder catheter..." he finished the sentence „I am sorry, Bones, but they needed to do that."

She closed her eyes... and suddenly opened them again „You ... you were not here in that room all the time, were you?" she asked.  
„Bones, what are you thinking of me...? Of course I looked aside!" he said.  
„Booth" she screamed, but he only laughed. „Bones, I was in another room... I do have some sense for privacy...okay? I was just kidding" „Mhm" she murmured, but then she had to grin herself.

„Booth, you said I nearly died,... is that really true?" He sat down in the chair next to her bed and watched her intensly with his dark brown eyes „You know I would not lie to you, Temperence!"

There was a knock at the door and a doctor came in. It was the first time ever Booth saw the doctor not dressed up like a blue Darth Vader... he looked much more sympathetic without the overall.

„You come in here without protection... I assume we are officialy healthy and well now?" He asked the doctor.

„Healthy, yes, but well... hmmm that will take some time" he answered and looked at Brennan. „Dr. Brennan, you have to stay for at least one week in hospital ... AND in bed! But you will get another room, no need to stay here in the quarantine section" he said.  
„Mr. Booth, we did various tests and we now know you are not infected... so you can leave at any time... 3 days in here should be enough ... any questions so far?"

They both shook their heads and so the doctor turned but before closing the door he said „You know, Dr. Brennan, you only just escaped death. If you would have been brought to the hospital only half an hour later it might have been too late!" Then the door was closed.

Brennan looked at Booth „I owe you my life, Booth... thank you!" „Yeah" he said, avoiding her eyes „Me and Sid... he had prepared food for two, to stop me from wondering if I should come to your apartment or not..."

„It's not only been that..." Brennan murmured. Booth looked at her curiously.  
„Uhm,..." - 'I have started it, I have to move on' she thought  
„I knew there was somebody... when I was unconscious... I know it is not logical, not rational, but... I felt it, that there was somebody ... caring for me"  
'You are not telling the whole thruth, Temperence Brennan, are you a coward?' the voice in her head whispered.  
„... and" she continued in a soft voice „... and I knew it was you!"

'There! You made it, Temperence" she thought 'Go, make a fool of yourself, does it matter now!'  
„It really helped me... to know YOU were there for me" she finally managed to say.

He just looked at her... smiling gently. Booth just did not know what to say... 'Shall I tell her what it felt like, to sit here, watching her, not knowing if she would ever wake up again? That I held her hand for most of the time? Or would that scare her off...?' the wheels in his head turned. „Angela was here to see you too" he said aloud. 'Idiot!' commented the voice in his head 'Wrong answer!'

'Temperence Brennan, you are a fool!' she thought 'He had just been here because he was under quarantine too and you are making up stupid things in your head like a teenager! That emotional stuff is not good for you... stay with the facts!'

She broke the silence by saying in a cold voice: „Well, Booth, I think you really have spent enough time with me now, it must have been really boring... so..."

He interrupted her „Yeah, Bones, you really have been an absolutely annoying roommate... sleeping all the time and doing nothing, except of course trying to survive... yeah, really, boring!". His voice was full of sarcasm, but he tried to calm down as he continued. „Boring... really you are funny, Bones. How could anybody be bored by watching you fighting for your life, hm? The only thing that annoyed me was, that I could do nothing to help you. I am not used to that... to being helpless..."

She looked aside... she was not sure what to say... hell, she wasn't even sure what to feel or what to think.

„Well, then... Could you tell me what happened, Booth. I don't remember all of it and the doctor said I have been here for three days and..." she stopped. „Just fill me in, okay!"

He nodded and told her about how she had lost consciousness in her apartment and all that had happened afterwards. About Angela visiting at least four times, sitting by her side and telling her what the squint's where doing. That Angela had brought clothes for both of them. „She thought you might want to get rid of that hospital shirt as soon as possible" he smiled. „She knows me pretty well." she said. Then he told her about the pyramide coming from egypt, the virus, Dr. Skinner.

„Christian" she smiled „he is more the talking sort of people... he would have never really harmed me, I can assure you!... so you have not found out, who sent me that „present" so far?"

„No... I am sorry, Bones" he had to admit.

„Booth, does Angela already know, I woke up?"... „Yeah, I think so... you know her... she made the nurses swear to call her as soon as you move, just in the unlike case I would not have been here ... I bet she is going to be here within half an hour." he told her. „20 minutes... at most" she corrected. They both smiled.

„Bones,... do you want me to leave?" Booth asked,... his voice sounding a bit anxious. She shook her head „No... please stay... at least until Angela shows up...". 

He nodded. „I am glad you are back with the living, Bones" He covered her hand with his. „You know, there are people, who worry about you." His dark brown eyes met hers and they simply looked at each other for some time – saying nothing


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7  
„facts"

„Am I intruding?" They started and Booth's hand immediately moved away from Brennan's. Angela stood in the door frame. „I knocked twice, but obviously you did not hear me..." She tried to suppress a grin, but did not succeed. They looked at her like children caught stealing cookies. „I can of course come back later if you want to be alone..." Her grin said more than her words and she winked. 

„Oh, Angela... come in!" Brennan said, slightly blushing. Booth jumped to his feet . „Hi, Angela, ... uhm, have a seat... I am going to leave you to your girl's talk... See you later, Bones!" he tried to hide the fact he did not want to leave her... but staying was no option. He had to work, had to go back to the FBI... there was paperwork waiting for him. His tests had been negative, there was no reason to stay and if he would stay he also would have to give an explanation for it. 'And what would I tell them?' he asked himself.

Slowly he walked towards the door but then turned around to say „As soon as I have found out anything new, I'll tell you Bones, okay?" Brennan nodded and said „Thank you, Booth... for everything." He smiled and left, quietly closing the door after him.

Brennan sighed and looked at her friend, Angela's face still wore one big grin. „Sweetie, he has been holding your hand..." Brennan wanted to interrupt her, but Angela just slipped a hand over her mouth „Listen now, Bren. He did not leave that room until now, you knew that? If he had wanted, they had prepared him the room next door. He did not want to leave you... he really cares for you. He did not even eat the Wong Fo's food I brought him... I just wanted to make sure you know that, okay...?" She lowered her hand again, but Brennan said nothing. „Now, let's talk about you, sweetie, are you alright? I am so happy you woke up!" 

„I... I am fine... still a bit dizzy, you know, but I guess I will recover fast" Brennan answered.

„Dizzy... really? Dizzy because of that virus you had or because of that sexy FBI agent holding your hand?" Angela could not help herself she simply had to ask that.

„Angela! You... you misinterpret all that... he is my partner of course he was worried." Brennan explained weakly.

„Yes, of course..." Angela winked at her „Bren, you know that's not about interpreting or misinterpreting... let's see the facts: Number one: He insisted on staying with you, I overheard the nurses... they said he quarreled with the doctors about that at least ten minutes... and he persuaded them. Number two: He never left that room. Number three: I found him sleeping in that chair yesterday, holding your hand. Number four: He refused to eat ... do not underestimate that... I mean: men and food...!!! And last but not least number five: He held your hand again today, when you were awake! I would say all those facts lead to the following conclusion: There's more than average partnership. Sweetie, are you blind? Did that virus cause some serious damage, or what?"

„Ange,... can ... can we not talk about something else?" Brennan tried to move herself out of that sticky situation.

„I really would like to talk about that now, but apparently you don't want to deepen that... well, then, okay... what should we talk about. The weather?" Angela amused herself by teasing Temperence a bit.

„Angela,... I nearly died. Booth told me, the doctor told me, but I knew it already... you know I am an atheist... I just don't believe all that... but I knew, ... I knew I was on the edge... nearly dead, nearly leaving... and there was something. I do not know, it remembered me of my mother. Maybe that is only imagination, maybe not... I just don't know what to believe right now..." Brennan closed her eyes. „I guess I will have to think about that a bit..."

„You look tired, Sweetie. I guess I am going to leave you now and come back later ... shall I go to your apartment to get you something?"  
Brennan opened her eyes again and after a thoughtful minute she said „You already brought me some clothes... Booth said that... where are they?"  
Angela went to the closet and showed her the clothes she had chosen. Two nightdresses and underwear. Brennan looked at them and her eyes widened.  
„Angela... did you want to dress me up to seduce somebody? That underwear ... I mean... did you bring anything casual?" „Sweetie, I thought you might not want to wear your old washed-out pajamas ... you know, with that sexy FBI agent around you." Brennan gave her a sharp look and Angela laughed. „Now come on, Sweetie, it would have been embarassing... I even found a Winnie the Pooh sleeping shirt in your closet." She giggled „In my wildest dreams I would have never thought you have something like that..."  
„It was cheap... and ..." Brennan started to explain.

„Oh, come on, sweetie, don't tell me a story about that shirt, you can wear whatever you want... at home, when you are alone, but with Booth around you can't ... really, Bren." Angela's face wore an expression... Brennan decided not to pick a quarrel with the drill instructor.

„So, sweetie, you need anything else?"

Brennan yawned „Sleep... and ... oh... I am hungry... could you tell the nurse I am hungry...?"

„Yeah... Rest a bit, sweetie, I'll be back later, okay?" Angela quickly kissed Brennan on the cheek and left the room.

3 hours and some soup later Brennan was asleep in the room she had been moved to earlier.

And she did not wake when a man entered.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

„... don't go!"

Booth looked at Brennan's sleeping figure and was unsure, what to do. He had brought copies of the FBI-reports on the pyramide and the note. He knew his partner well enough to know that she soon would insist on helping solve the case.

After standing there for some time, just watching her breathe, he decided to leave the files on the second bed. He tried to make no noise while crossing the room... he turned his back on the sleeping woman and placed the files on the bed. At once he realized the sound of her breathing had changed...and he turned.

She was shaking and her breath was going fast... she murmured something in her sleep and suddenly he heard something that made him shiver. „Don't ... don't ...I said you should leave me alone... please, please... let me go home ... I won't tell anybody!" Her voice was unusually high and sounded like the voice of a child.

Her face was pale and sweaty and he simply had to touch her, had to wake her up to save her from that nightmare.

„Bones" he said and touched her cheek gently. „Bones, wake up, you're dreaming! Bones!"

Suddenly she opened her eyes and looked at him... her face still wore an expression of shock and ... fear, Booth realized. „Bones, it was a nightmare,... it's alright... nobody will harm you..." he said. Still her eyes showed no sign of recognizing him and her body seemed to be petrified. His heartbeat was racing, but he tried to keep his voice steady and soft. „Bones... it's me, Booth... come on now, don't scare me... look at me now... Temperence!" 

When he called her by her name the expression on her face changed and she moved... Then she blinked and whispered „Booth?" „Yeah, it's me, it's alright, Bones..." he said.  
She sighed.

„Bones, what... what was that nightmare about... you know,... sometimes talking about it helps."  
„I... I am sorry, I can't tell you... besides what makes you an expert on nightmares?" she recovered fast, he had to admit that. She sat up in her bed and forced herself to look as if she had already gotten over it.

„You are forgetting my son, Bones... being a father definetely makes me an expert on nightmares." He went to the other side of the bed and sat down on the chair. „Come on now, Bones, tell me... you know you can trust me, I won't tell anybody else, okay..." he said.

„It is nothing really important... it's... when I have been a child, there had been some attacks... on young girls... it was a man..." she stopped and looked away from that intense brown eyes.  
„Bones" Booth covered her hand again with his „you can tell me... but if you don't want to tell me, I can call Angela... but you have to promise me, you will speak about that to somebody... I know you hate psychology, but you know... it really helps to talk ... I know it."

Brennan still did not look at him, but he felt, that she prepared herself for telling him what had scared her that much ... she took a deep breath and said „I was 10 or 11 years old... I do not remember it exactly. There had been some attacks on girls the same age before... they... they had been raped... My parents would not let me go out ... of course they had a good reason, but I was young and I just thought ... well I hated them for being stuck at home... so one evening I just sneaked outside... only to prove I could take care of myself... and he got me... the man, who attacked all those girls." she sobbed. He did not dare to say a single word, but he gently petted her hand. She continued „... I begged to let me go, I promised to not say a single word, but... well... he had already raped five other girls, where would have been the sense it letting me go without raping me...? But he got disturbed... two men had been hiking and they heard me scream, so they came... and the man ... the man ran away... the police arrested him the very same evening..." she sobbed again and when he looked at her he saw tears glittering in her eyes.

Even as the first tear found its way down her cheek he pulled her into a tight embrace. „Don't cry now... it's okay... Temperence" he held her tight and felt so sorry for what had happened to her. „He can't hurt you anymore, Bones" he whispered. 'Life is really cruel' he thought 'Raped when she was 11, parents vanished when she was 15...'

As if she had heard his thoughts she whispered „They came in time, you know... the two hikers...they saved me... and the man was arrested... I don't know why I am still dreaming of that... I can't forget it... it's ridiculous."

„It's not." He pulled her closer and said in a steady voice „You were only 11 years old, for god's sake. You are a tough woman, Bones, but you are not made of steel or stone... if you feel sad or frightened you do not always need to hide it... at least not from me, okay?"

„Okay" she answered and leaned against him. His arms were strong and in that very moment she realized she had not felt that safe and protected since she had been a girl, before the attack had happened.

After some time he loosened the embrace to be able to look at her face. He searched her eyes and said: „Bones, I'll do my best to protect you, you know that!" She gave him a weak smile and even as she said „Yes, I know" she felt it too... she could always count on him, rely on him.  
She ruined the moment by yawning  
„You are tired, Bones, you need to rest" he smiled, but his voice sounded hoarse. 

„Don't go" she said and so he stayed... he watched her fall asleep again.


	9. Chapter 9

Very short again, I know, but a longer one is coming!!!

Chapter 9

„...of rough nights..."

„Look at that" Angela nudged Hodgins gently and pointed to the two figures in the room. Brennan was asleep in the bed, Booth sitting in the chair, also sleeping.

„I have seen them, Angela." he whispered back. They had knocked, but there had been no answer, so they had opened the door slightly to peer in. 'They look so cute together...' Angela thought and closed the door again.

„What are we doing now?" Hodgins asked her. „Ah, well I guess we should ask a nurse where we can leave the flowers for Bren?" she wondered.

There was a sound from inside the room. Only moments later the door was opened and Booth appeared in the doorframe... he nearly ran into Angela and looked astonished to see her.

„Hey Booth... are you under quarantine again?" she chuckled.

„Hi, Angela, Hodgins" he pretended to have overheard the question, stretched and added „Sleeping in a chair is not really restful."

„Well, I guess you do have a very comfortable bed at home, Booth... which leads me back to you coming out of that room in the morning AND you are not under quarantine any more... you want to tell me something?" Angela said teasingly.

„No" Booth looked at her and Hodgins and saw the flowers they carried. „Flowers? Does she really like flowers? I assume she is going to say that there is no sense in bringing flowers..." he smiled.

„Booth... I know she is going to say something like that... but still every woman likes flowers!" Angela explained.

„Why don't you go inside... and if she wakes up, just... tell her I'll visit her in the afternoon?" Booth suggested.

„Why don't you tell her yourself, Mr. FBI... are you shy?" Angela grinned at him and winked.

„I just don't want to wake her up, Angela... she had a rough night!" he explained and yawned. 'But at least she slept in a comfortable bed' he thought.

„Rough night? What happened?" Angela asked alarmed.

„Ah... I don't know if she wants to talk about it, Angela, just... don't mention it, okay?" He could slap himself for saying something about a rough night... she had told him about her past and he had assured her not to tell anybody.

„I have to go... cheer her up, Angela, I know you can do that!" he said and left.

Angela and Hodgins watched him go and looked at each other. „He really cares for her... does she know that?" he asked. „Oh, yes, I think she knows, but she has not accepted it yet" Angela smiled and they opened the door again to find a sleeping Brennan. 'I wonder what kind of medicine they gave her' Angela thought 'I've never seen her sleep so much".


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

... old wounds...

Temperence Brennan was tired... tired of the same old questions, like: „How are you?" She stopped listening, just let her mind wander off... she had found the files Booth had left for her on the second bed and had already went through them... nothing new in that. He looked at Angela's face, who was talking, forever talking. Angela and Hodgins had visited her in the morning and now it was late in the afternoon and Angela was here again to update her on things she did not even understand. She chattered cheerily about somebody called Sarah, who worked at the Jeffersonian's technical section. Brennan did not even know who Sarah might be.

She was wondering, if Booth would visit her. He had vanished in the morning, without waking her. Angela had told her, she had met him outside. 'Why did'nt he wake me up? Why did he just leave? I don't understand it..." she thought. Suddenly she realized, that Angela hat stopped to talk... she just looked at her... „What did you say?" Brennan asked.

Angela sighed: „You did not listen to me. I mean, I think most of the things I said won't be interesting for you, but still it's not really a nice habit, ignoring somebody" She looked at Brennan and mimicked a hurt look. „But, I know your mind's very busy and it's definitely busy with somebody I know... you know sometimes you think or talk of Booth your face gets that dreamy expression?" Angela laughed. 

Brennan's eyes widened... „I have not been thinking of Booth" she lied. „That's a lie, sweetie... don't lie to me, honey, you are really no good at it!" Angela stated.

„Uhm... well, I thought, maybe he would show up with a new trace or something... And my face did not show any dreamy expression, Ange!" Brennan shot back.

There was some uncomfortable silence and suddenly Angela broke it by saying: „Bren, what happened last night? I know there is something you don't tell me and you know that drives me crazy, so please... what happened?" 

„Ange... I am sorry... I can't tell you..." Brennan said, avoiding Angela's eyes.

„But you told Booth?" Angela asked.

„Yes" Brennan admitted. „he sort of... was there, you know"  
She really hoped Angela would not be too upset. But Angela just cocked her head thoughtfully and then she said: „That's good... somebody has to know, what's bothering you!"

Astonished Brennan stared at her, but said nothing. Angela took her hand and said: „Booth is good man, and he cares for you... that's okay, sweetie... just... let it happen!"

Brennan shook her head. „Angela, I told you... you keep imagining things that are just not true." 

Angela smiled at her and answered „That's what you say... I have to leave now, sweetie. Great Booth for me."

„Why are you so sure he will visit me?" Brennan asked.

„What else should he do?" Angela laughed. „Bye, sweetie, I'll come back tomorrow"

- - - - - - -- - -

Booth was sitting in his office and working on Brennan's case, but he already knew he won't find out anything new. He just could not sit there, doing nothing. The other agents had done good work and he was aware of that. There had not been any new traces, no clues. But reading the reports again and again prevented him from thinking of her too often.

She was there all the time in his head... the last night had really touched him. She had told him something very personal and he was going to treasure that... he wanted to go to the hospital and tell her how he felt, but on the other side he decided it would be better to stay in the office and work. With a sigh he closed the file and looked at his desk. It was empty, There had been two other open cases, but when he had been under quarantine his collegues had taken care of that and so there was not much work left for him.

'Okay now... I can as well go to Wong Fo's and eat something and visit Bones afterwards' he said to himself. And he was NOT going to tell her anything about his feelings.

He pulled out his keys and left the office. A few minutes later he was sitting at the bar at Wong Fo's and waited for the food Sid had chosen for him. He heard the radio from the kitchen, there was some report about a young girl being raped. 'Oh man' he thought 'rape... young girl... what if...'

He rose immediately and left the restaurant to return to the office. He searched for old cases of raped girls... in the area Brennan had lived when she had been eleven years old.

After two hours he had the information he needed and headed for the hospital.

- - - - - -

It was 10 pm and Booth had not come to visit her. It hurted her more than she had thought. She really had thought he would show up... she had almost seen him walking through that door, wearing that sexy smile. 'Sexy smile?' she thought 'Whoa... where did that come from?' she shook her head and smiled to herself. She had to get out of here... not enough rational things to think of... no wonder non-rational things were creeping up on her.

She decided to insist on leaving the hospital against the doctor's advice tomorrow. She did not want to stay.

There was a knock at the door. „Yes" she said. Booth entered. „Oh, you are awake, Bones. What a suprise!" he smiled. Her heart pounded faster at the sight of him 'Has that ever happened before' she asked herself, but tried to stay calm. 

„Yes, I think I had enough sleep for at least one week" Brennan said. After looking at him more intensly she knew he had come to tell her something. „What? What did you find out, Booth?"

„How did you know?... Ah, never mind... Bones... I do not like to do that... I don't want to lay a finger on old wounds, but... Bones... what you have told me yesterday... about the man, that attacked you... I have to tell you something" Booth moved closer to her bed, but did not look at her directly. „The man... he is called Archibald Marks. He... well they reached an appeal ... and ... the jury decided, there were not enough evidences. He is free again... I ... I think maybe he is the one, that wants to kill you."

Her eyes widened. „But... not enough evidences???" she did not believe it. „He ... he raped young girls... I identified him!" she stuttered.

Booth took her hand and said. „I know that, Bones. It's all in the files. But well...somehow the new defense managed to convince the jury that there is no real connection between the raped girls and the attack against you. You know the other girls could not identify him." 

She had looked so beautiful, when he had opened the door... and now she looked that sad and hurt he just could not bear it. „I'll be there for you, Bones, okay?" he assured her. She nodded and swallowed hard. 'Usually the monsters of childhood don't come back...' she thought.

„Booth... you don't have to stay... I am safe here. I know there is an FBI agent outside and ... well... you don't have to stay" she repeated. 

„I know." he simply said, squeezing her hand gently.

„At least you should take that second bed in here, Booth. Sleeping in a chair can not be comfortable!" Brennan told him. He smiled and went to the second bed to lie down. He had not realized how tired he had been and after a short time he was asleep.

After resting all day, Brennan was still awake. She watched him. She listened to his deep, steady breathing. Why did it make her feel so good just to look at him...just knowing he was there made her heart pounding faster. She sighed. 'That's not appropriate behaviour between partners' he heard her own voice say in her head. 'Who gives a sht!' he heard Angela's snapping back. She smiled. A short time later she was asleep too.


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11  
... the plucky duck ...

Brennan cursed under her breath. A few minutes ago the doctor had told her he would let her go against his advice only if she was able to go to the administration department and get the necessary papers herself.

When she had been moved to the new room two days ago they had removed the catheter and she had been relieved to get back the privacy and the freedom. But her freedom was limited... she simply was too weak to walk more than some steps. No way she would ever reach the Administration department, which was situated on the other side of the hospital. She remembered how the doctor's eyes had glittered with bemusement as he had told her that and she had shot back „And isn't that handy!" 

Usually it was Hodgins who was always sensing conspiracies, but now it was her. She simply knew Booth was behind that. 'Agent Seeley Booth, you have gone too far!' she muttered to herself.

She was not really looking forward to being stuck in that room for another two or three days, but apparently she was not in the position to change anything.

After calming herself down a bit, she grabbed the file Booth had brought the other day.

Archibald Marks. The monster that had haunted her dreams for years. 'I am going to get you' she thought. 'You may be after me, but it's me who is going to get YOU!' she thought. She gathered her strength, opened the file and started reading.

- - - - -

Hours and hours later she was disturbed by the sound of someone knocking at the door. „Yes, come in" she said, although she would have preferred to go on reading through the interrogation protocols of the young victims... so far she had not touched the one bearing her own name. She remembered that nobody except Booth knew about the case and hid the files under her bedsheets.

Angela entered the room, looking absolutely fabolous in some - 'new?' Brennan wondered – extravagante dress that only Angela could wear. „Hi, sweetie!" 

Brennan smelled Angela's perfume and smiled at her „Where are you and Hodgins going?" „He asked me out for dinner... to Gabriel's" „Uhu – Gabriel's... nice one... are you celebrating something...?" „Not as far as I know..." Angela answered, looked closer at Brennan and then said „YOU have not been resting today... you have been working on something!" 'How does she know?' Brennan was baffled.

Angela laughed „You know, most of the time I can read your face just like a book ... You are wondering how I know you've been working... well, that's been an easy one, Sweetie. You tried to hide something under your sheets the moment I came in... and you have something on your nose that absolutely matching the colour of a blue roller ball pen... you have been taking notes, I assume?"

Brennan nodded. „And you want to hide it from me because..." Angela waited for Brennan to complete the sentence. Biting her lip Brennan thought about how to tell Angela about that certain piece of her past and of what Booth had found out.

„It has something to do with Booth" Angela stated. Confused Brennan just stared at her. „The dreamy look again, Bren..."

Closing her eyes Brennan hissed through gritted teeth: „There. Is. No. Dreamy. Look."

Her best friend was just looking at her with an expression on the face that clearly said „Have it as you want, I know it better", but Angela suppressed a comment.

„I guess I do have to tell you anyway" Brennan finally whispered and then started to tell her friend the same story she had told Booth.

Angela's eyes widened „Oh... oh sweetie... I am so sorry." She touched Brennan's cheek and asked „You found out anything so far?"

Brennan sighed and looked upset „No... not really. The other girls all had been attacked in complete dark and they were too shocked to remember details. They were not even able to identify his voice... And there is still no connection between the virus and Marks. But if there is any connection, I'll sure as hell find it!"

„There's my fighter... I am going to help you, if you let me" Angela offered.

„Yeah, Ange, there is something you could do for me... Would you mind going to the administration department here in the hospital to get me the papers I have to sign to go home against medical advice..." Brennan could not even finish the sentence, when Angela shook her head.  
„Sorry, Bren, I can't do that. Booth has told me not to support you in doing something that might be dangerous..."

„Oh, did I miss something? Since when Booth is giving you orders... and since when you obey orders anyway?" Brennan asked infuriated.

„Sweetie... you are safer here than anywhere else... I won't help you getting out here... sorry!" Angela replied. „You look angry... and tired, although you would never admit that right now ... I have to go anyway, sweetie, to meet Jack in that restaurant... if you need anything, just call me, okay?" Angela rose and left... she did not want to be killed by one of Brennan's looks.

Brennans mood still was very bad when Booth showed up an hour later to visit her. His „Hi, Bones, how are you doing" was answered by a look that could freeze the hell. 

„You!" Brennan yelled. „yeah?" Booth looked surprised.

„You... you... why did you do that?" Brennan's voice sounded angry. „It may help to answer the question if you would just give me some more details on what you mean, Bones." he tried to stay calm, but he was not quite sure he would manage that... He had been working on her case all day and had looked forward to telling her about the progress, but she honored his work by yelling at him.

„You told the doctors to ... well... imprison me! They won't let me go home! Why do you think you have the right to do something like that!" her voice was shrill now... she had been angrier than she had realized.

„Because" he snapped, knowing it had to sound childish.

„I want to go home. I want to get out of that hospital... I need to work, Booth, how dare you treating me like a little girl who can't take care of herself?" Brennan was nearly shouting now.

„You are still too weak, Bones! You would be such an easy aim!" he shot back.

„I am pretty good at self-defense, Booth. I don't need anybody!" They stared at each other.

„Fine! Just fine!" Booth's voice sounded dangerous „Stop me then, Bones... Imagine I would like to kill you" he moved towards her bed quickly and his hands were on her throat as if he would like to strangle her. She tried to pull his hands away, but she could not move them by one inch.

„You see, Bones. It would be easy, too easy!" he growled.

„Take your hands off me" she screamed „Why did you do that? Why can't you just leave me alone and let me go home!"

„Because I don't want to lose you!" His eyes were closed and he was squeezing the frame of her bed so hard she saw the knuckles of his hands turn white.

She heard the words he had just shouted at her and realized it was not only anger that had changed his voice, but also fear.

„Damn it, Bones... it seems all the time somebody wants to kill you... and at least twice it had been a very narrow escape. You are not bulletproof and even you have to run out of luck sometimes... can't you accept that the hospital is safer than your apartment? Have you forgotten the bomb in your fridge? I can assure you, I have not... I don't want to find you bombed up to pieces!" he muttered.

She looked at his tired face and felt a sudden tenderness arouse in her.

„I... I am sorry Booth... you have worked all day and I am shouting at you for wanting to protect me... it's just... I really can't stand hospitals!" she whispered.

„Who likes hospitals?" He looked at her and sighed. „Bones, you really are going to drive me mad! If I am going to freak out and shoot somebody it's your fault!" She smiled wearily.

He sat down on the chair beside her bed and showed her the file he had brought with him „Can we talk about that now?" he asked, his voice back to normal again.

She nodded and he told her what he had found out. „Marks has been in prison until end of March, so there's that gap of about 3 weeks between him leaving the prison and the attack on you. We found out he visited his aunt 2 weeks ago and borrowed some money. His aunt told us he had talked about visiting an old friend to finish something he started years ago."

Those words sent a shiver down her spine. „Finish" she repeated. Booth looked at her. „You understand why I am worrying about your safety? This guy had years to invent plans to kill you and he is not an idiot. Did you know he studied Microbiology?"

She shook her head. „Not until today... I read it in the file you had left for me."

„Microbiology and a virus... that might work" he said and she agreed... there could be a connection, now they had to find it.

„Booth, I have to thank you... I know I can be horrible sometimes... I am not used to doing nothing... sorry I freaked out and everything..." Brennan's pale blue eyes fixed on his. „Apology accepted, Bones" he smirked. „I have to leave again now, Bones... there are some reports I want to go through..." he rose and left the room, but came back immediately.

„I completely forgot, Bones...I have to give you something... you remember the drawing? Lucky me, Parker could not stand the thought of the drawing only in blue, so he made a new one for you and it looks like he used all the colours he has got!" He gave her a folded sheet of paper. She unfolded it and looked at the drawing. It was indeed very colourful.

„Is that a ... duck?" she asked, not sure if she had interpreted the child's drawing right.

„Yeah," Booth said. „it's the plucky duck!" „Plucky duck." she repeated, astonished ...  
„Ah, well... you know Parker has been to the hospital last year. And the plucky duck is a puppet the doctors use to speak with the children. If you look close enough you will see that one wing is bandaged." he pointed at one of the wings. „The plucky duck ... because it's not complaining about the pain, you know."

'There is no rational reason for that duck-thing' she thought 'But it's awfully cute'

She said that last word aloud and Booth laughed. „I think I never heard you using the word „cute" before, Bones."

Then he looked at her very seriously and said in a warning tone „I have to go now. No running away, Bones!"

She nodded and watched him leave. 'No running away' she thought and opened the last interrogation protocol ... the one bearing the line „Temperence Brennan, age 11". She started to read.


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12  
... home ...

Sitting on the bed Brennan stretched and yawned. She looked down at the bag and felt relieved that after 10 days in hospital she was finally returning to the comfortable familiarity of her own apartment. 'But... of course there has to be a but' she mused "Booth is not only going to take me home,... he is going to stay. He did that before' she remembered herself 'And nearly got killed by a bomb in my fridge. But this time it is different... I don't think I can manage all this. I am weak this time... I am still not able to walk more than a few steps... all the time I have to sit down to recover... like an old woman. He will fuss over me all the time. He will be there all the time... what am I going to do? He is making me nervous... why is he making me nervous?' Her mind was that busy she did not notice that Booth already had entered the room.

"Bones, are you sleeping with your eyes open?" he asked and winked at her. "Uhm... not sleeping... thinking!" she corrected. "What else should that busy mind of yours do?" he commented.  
She looked at him and suddenly realized he was pushing a wheelchair. "A wheelchair, Booth? I am not that weak!"  
"You are... Bones, don't argue! And even if you were not too weak to walk all the way to the car it is still hospital's order. So be a nice little girl and sit down." It was easy to see how much he enjoyed being able to tease her with that. "I am not a nice little girl" she snapped, but did as he told her. He took her bag and put it on her lap. "Next stop: parking lot!" he said cheerily and pushed her wheelchair out of the room.

"Are there no speed limits?" she cried, clutching her bag tightly, when he nearly lost control racing down the corridor. "Nope,... but elevators!" he laughed as they reached the elevator.

Finally they reached the parking lot, Booth opened the door and Brennan sat down on the front seat. "I'll be right back, I just have to take the wheelchair back, Bones!" Booth told her. Nuzzling up against the seat she closed her eyes. Being with him was just so entertaining and felt so good... too good.

Suddenly she heard a sound and opened her eyes... she could not see anything suspicious but somehow she knew there was something wrong. She looked in the side mirror and saw a shadow approaching her door. She did not think, but opened the door with one quick swing, hoping to at least surprise, but better hurt the sneaking person.

There was a "clong"! and she knew she had hit him. By the muttered curse she could definitely tell it was a man. 'That was not enough... he still can get me!' she thought... she already felt her strength was leaving her and quickly closed the door and locked it. 'What to do now, Brennan' the voice in her head said.

"FBI. Go away from that car!" a familiar voice shouted. 'Thank god, it's Booth' she thought. She heard the man outside the car hastily getting up and run away. The footsteps were hardly audible because of the sound of blood rushing in her ears. She saw Booth was following him, but he came back soon.

"Bones, are you alright?" he opened the driver's door and sat down beside her, looking anxiously at her face. She nodded slowly and then muttered "You were right, Booth. I am not able to protect myself at the moment. Thank you"  
"Don't thank me! I have been an idiot. I should have known... I should not have gone away to bring back that stupid wheelchair..." he shook his head. "But you are alright, Bones, aren't you?" he asked again.

"I am fine, Booth, don't blame yourself... Why did you not follow him?" she looked at him.

"Because I thought there might be somebody else and you were still here in my car... alone... an easy prey." He answered,... then he slowly raised his hand and touched her cheek... "I don't want to make the same mistake twice!"

He cleared his throat, lowered his hand again and said: "Well, let's go home, what do you think?"

"Home?" she asked suspiciously.

"Home" he confirmed "You are coming with me. It's better that way, Bones. I know my apartment better and it has got less windows, it's easier to protect. And only a few people will know where you are. A rational choice, Bones!" he smiled at her.

She gave in... 'again' she thought 'It seems I am giving in all the time!' Clutching her bag she stared out the front window avoiding Booth's warm, chocolate brown eyes.

'How long will I be living in his apartment?' she wondered. 'How should I hide the fact his nearness is making me nervous?' 


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13  
... Pizza, Pizza ...

Booth opened the door to his apartment and let Brennan walk in. He watched her to support her at the slightest sign of weakness. She knew it and looked at him with a stern face: "I am fine Booth. I am not going to collapse right now!"

He smiled at her: "You are recovering... that has nearly been the same old 'Bones voice'!"

"Bones voice?" she repeated. "Yeah, just like... cold and dry and hard... like bones." He smirked.

She shook her head and made her way to the couch to sit down. She did not want to show, but she already felt exhausted again.

"You can have the bed, Bones, I'll take the couch... The bed is more comfortable and you need your sleep. Unfortunately Parker's bed is a bit too small for adults. I'll get your bag into the bedroom, okay?" She only nodded and watched him leave, carrying her bag to the bedroom. She sighed... 'What are we going to do now?' she asked herself 'Staring at each other for an entire evening won't be entertaining... Ah, but well, I could look at those eyes for some time... STOP IT, BRENNAN!' she ordered herself 'He is your partner... be rational! ... Maybe we could talk about the case... my case...' she thought.

Booth stood in the doorframe, watching her. She still looked weak, but a hundred times better than she had looked 10 days before, when he had come to her apartment. He always had to think of what could have happened, if he had not come to visit her... he would have lost her... the mere thought of it made his chest tighten.

'Why does she always have to be in danger? And why does it hurt so much to see her like that?' But on the other side, she was in danger, she was weak, but she was alive and in his apartment.  
In. His. Apartment. The words seemed to spin around in his head... 'What are we going to do now?' he asked himself 'I guess we should talk about the case... that's the job, that's safe territory!"

He moved towards the couch and sat down in front of her. "Are you okay, Bones?" he asked. "Yes!" she snapped "Why do you always have to ask? As soon as I am feeling not okay anymore, I'll let you know!"

"Okay" he smiled... the fighter was back. "Would you mind talking about the case?" he asked just the same time she said "I think we should talk about the case!". Laughter filled the air and the uncomfortable feeling was gone.

"I'll get us something to drink, then we talk about the case." He went to the kitchen "What would you like to drink, Bones?" he yelled. "A beer... but I am not supposed to drink alcohol until tomorrow... I guess water will have to do for me...!" she shouted back. "Coke?" he asked. "No thanks, water is okay, Booth. Don't bother!".

He came back with a glass of water for her and coke for him. "I could order some chinese food or a pizza." "Whatever you like... I am not hungry." Brennan pulled out the files on the Marks-case.

"You are going to eat something!" he ordered. "Yes, mum!" she murmured absently, starting to arrange the most important parts of the files on the table.

He shook his head, took the phone and ordered pizza with salami.

20 minutes later they were discussing the interrogation protocols of one of the girls, called Tina Blacksmith, when the doorbell rang.

"Pizza, Pizza" Booth jumped to his feet, went over to the door and looked through the spy-hole. "No pizza!"

"Hi Booth!" "Hi Angela, Hodgins! Make yourselves a home!" he said. 'Why am I so disappointed... because there is no Pizza or because I am not going to spend the evening alone with her?' he thought.

"Sweetie!" Angela hurried to Brennan and sat down beside her... "Are you alright?"   
"Angela...please... do I have to wear a sign reading "I am okay" to stop everyone asking the same question all the time...uhm... Sorry, Ange... I did not want to be rude, but it's just... I am okay. Everything's fine. I am alive, I am recovering and the man, that tried to attack me has been scared off by Booth in time..." The moment Angela's eyes widened Brennan suddenly realised, that Angela of course had not known about the attack at the parking lot.

"Man? Scare off? WHAT?" Angela looked from Brennan to Booth and back. "Calm down, Angela" Hodgins said "Apparently nobody is hurt."

Brennan explained what had happened at the parking lot. "Wow, I am glad Booth did not let you leave the hospital earlier. Somebody really is after you, sweetie!" Angela took her hand.  
"I know" Brennan said and swallowed hard. "You know, Ange, you do not have to stay... it's Saturday evening – you could go somewhere... do something more entertaining than being here... I am safe anyway, this annoying FBI agent would not let me do a single step alone... " Brennan smiled. Angela smiled back "I know you are safe. I do trust that annoying FBI agent... but still I wanted to visit you!"

The door bell rang again and Booth went to the door, murmuring "Annoying,...pfh". Just a minute later the room was filled with the wonderful smell of fresh pizza. "Mhm" Angela, Hodgins and Brennan said.

Booth looked at them suspiciously. "No, no, no. That's mine. YOU" he said pointing towards Brennan 'said, you were not hungry, remember? And YOU" he pointed at Angela and Hodgins "came without invitation. I am not going to share."

"Come on, now, Booth" Angela purred.   
"How am I going to recover, if you let me starve? Besides, YOU said, I must eat something" Brennan stated and grabbed the pizza-box.  
"I guess I have to order more." Booth sighed.

Three hours and two pizzas later Angela and Hodgins left. Booth and Brennan looked at each other... the uncomfortable silence was back and thickened the air. 'Why is it making me nervous to be here with him?' she wondered. 'Why do I always have to look at her?' were his thoughts.

"You look tired." It was a statement, not a question. "Mhm, I am... I think I am going to bed ... I could take the couch, too, Booth... no need to let me have the bed." Brennan staggered a bit.

"Bones, you are going to bed, right now... not a single word, Temperance!" He added, when he saw, she wanted to argue. Booth took her arm to support her and helped her to the bed room. She really felt weak... and she hated it. "Thank you, Booth... I am putting you to a lot of trouble..." Brennan sat down on the bed, watching her partner drawing the curtains. Turning, he gave her a serious look "Bones, it is not your fault and if I did not want to do this, I would not do it, okay?". Brennan heard he really meant, what he said and nodded. "Good night, Bones. If you need anything, just call, okay?" Booth left the bedroom door slightly open. She nodded, murmuring "Night, Booth."

Brennan drew in a deep breath. She was sitting on Booth's bed in his apartment... and she was going to stay here for some time. 'I am here, Booth is outside, it is going to be okay... get used to it, Brennan!' she tried to calm down. After undressing and putting on her night-dress (a compromise between the sexy ones Angela had chosen and the casual pajamas Brennan would have chosen herself) she went to the bed. She immediately fell asleep when her head touched the pillow and the last thing she sensed was Booth's scent, still clinging to the sheets.


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14  
... a lazy sunday ...

Brennan stirred, her mind slowly awaking. 'What's that smell?' she thought. She sniffed and after some time she was able to identify different smells. First she smelled Booth... or at least his after-shave. The smell clearly came from the bed she had slept in. Which was a logical thing, since it was Booth's bed. She nodded and tried to name the other things she was smelling. Coffee and maybe pancakes? She wasn't quite sure about that, but she knew how to find out... her stomach rumbled audible. She got out of the bed and rummaged in her bag for her bathrobe. She quickly walked over to the mirror to check if she was presentable. 'I am still a bit too pale, but I look healthier than yesterday. I really slept well – no nightmares.' She thought and tried to put her hair in order.

She did not really succeed – she had no comb in her bag and before getting to the bathroom she would surely meet Booth. She shrugged that thoughts away 'Why bother, Brennan, he saw you nearly dead... and you sure as hell have looked worse than now.' Still she was not really satisfied with her appearance. She tried to use her fingers as a comb. Then she went over to the window and opened it. Fresh, cold air poured into the room and she inhaled deeply.

After some time she went back to the mirror. Her cheeks showed a bit of colour now and she thought. 'That will have to do!'

When she entered the kitchen she saw Booth standing at the stove, whistling and making pancakes. She could not suppress a smile... he was wearing an apron... which was apparently designed by Parker.

"Good morning!" she said and he quickly spun around, the pan in his hand. "Hi" he said, his warm chocolate brown eyes fixed on hers. "Bones, you look almost alive today" he smiled. "No, you look beautiful" he added in a low murmur.

She was not sure if she had heard it right, so she pretended to have overheard it completely. "You look funny!" she stated and pointed to his apron.

He followed her eyes and grimaced "Ah, yeah,... that apron... Parker made it... I had to swear I was going to wear it..." He shrugged.

"It's cute... the apron I mean" She hastily walked over to the table. "Can I help you, Booth?"

"Nope, you've got the perfect timing, Bones, everything is ready." He smiled again and showed her the pancakes, fruit, cereals and the orange juice he had prepared on the table. "Sit down, Bones."

He poured coffee for both of them and sat down. She shook her head "I don't think you are always having breakfast like that" pointing towards the cereals and the fruit.

"Right,... but you need food to recover" he gave her his charm smile "Now be a good girl and eat!"

"You should not have gone to so much trouble, Booth..." She was interrupted by a "Sh-sh – eat your pancakes, Bones!" and he did not want to argue. After all she WAS hungry and it tasted wonderful.

After some time she had eaten several pancakes, a bowl of cereals and two apples. She let out a deep sigh... "Wow, I think I've really had enough..." and placed a hand on her belly.

Booth smiled at her and rose to clear the table. "I can do that" Brennan said and quickly rose too. "Bones..." he saw the impatient look at her face and gave in "Okay... you can help me."

"I am going to pick up Parker in half an hour, Bones... you are going to stay here, we are going be back soon, okay?" "But Booth... you can go somewhere else with him, or I can go somewhere else..." she stuttered.

"Bones, we are going to stay here, together... no problem! It's raining anyway, so I won't go somewhere else with him..." he looked at her.  
"But, Booth, ... I mean... what is he going to think... me staying here...?" Brennan blushed a bit.

"Gee, Bones,... he is a smart little guy... I'll tell him you have been ill and are staying here, because somebody has to look after you..., 's that okay?" Booth's voice sounded amused.  
Brennan just nodded. A day with Parker and Booth... at least this was going to spare her the uncomfortable silence... and maybe distract her from her inappropriate feelings.

Booth left to pick up Parker and Brennan made use of that time alone by taking a shower. She enjoyed the feeling of the warm water massaging her stiffened shoulders and neck. Staying in bed too much always made her feel like that. She washed her hair and dressed up in jeans and a red shirt. Her hair was still wet, when Parker and his father arrived.

"Dr. Bones... Daddy told me you have been ill and to the hospital... are you alright now?" the little boy gave her a worried look.  
"Yeah, I am fine, Parker. Thank you for your drawing... I'll put it on my fridge, when I am back at my apartment!" she ruffled his hair and turned towards Booth. He had not said a single word, he was just leaning against the wall, watching them. Parker chattered something about him being at the hospital talking to the plucky duck.

'She is so beautiful' Booth thought 'and I love how she is dealing with Parker.' He knew it was not the whole truth... it was not only that single aspect he loved about the woman that was his partner. 'Partner and friend, keep that in mind, you idiot!' he reminded himself.  
Brennan looked at him and there eyes met.  
They could have looked at each other for an eternity, but Parker interrupted by singing  
"Di-da-Daddy, what we doing? Daddy?".

Booth smiled down at his son and said "What about you taking off your coat first and... then we could watch a movie together with Dr. Bones?"

Parker let out a howl and quickly slipped his coat off and tossed it away. "Parker!" his father's voice reminded him of how he was expected to treat his coat. He picked it up and hung it up at the wardrobe. "Daddy, what are we going to watch?" he asked impatiently.

"Well, what would you say about The Lion King?" Booth smiled at his son... he knew Parker could not resist that.

"YEAH!" the little boy was excited... one of his favourite movies! Booth turned toward Brennan: "You've seen it?" Brennan shook her head. "Then it's about time, Bones... and put aside the rational thoughts for some time... just try to enjoy it, okay?" She smiled "I'll try!"

Booth went to the kitchen to fetch them drinks while Parker was already dancing around with the DVD in his little hands. "I got, I got...!" "Bones, could you put it into the player?" Booth shouted over from the kitchen. "Sure" she said and tried to catch the little boy dancing around. "Parker, if you want to watch it, you will have to give it to me." Parker immediately stopped and they bumped into each other... "Ouch" he said, but was smiling. "You are not hurt, are you?" Brennan asked. "I'm fine... I'd like to watch Simba!!!" he said.

"Simba? I thought it was the Lion King?" Brennan looked puzzled. "Simba IS the Lion King!" Parker gave her a look that made her feel like an idiot. "Uhm... okay then... let's watch Simba..." she murmured.  
Booth had to suppress a grin when he returned from the kitchen, bringing lemonade for all of them. He knew, Parker knew the whole movie by heart, ... not knowing Simba was something unbelievable to that boy.

They all sat down on the couch, Parker between Booth and Brennan. After some time Parker rearranged his position laying his head in Brennan's lap. She looked surprised but then smiled and started to caress his hair. Booth shot them a quick side glance. He decided to keep that picture forever in his head... His son and the woman he loved ...so close, so natural, so tender. He sighed and looked back to the TV where Simba was trying to frighten a chameleon with his kitten roar.

He knew he wanted to touch Bones, to tell her about her feelings, but he also thought it was not the right thing to do. She was the rational type... she would never fall in love with her partner. They had to stay friends, even if he longed so much for telling her the truth.  
He had imagined how to tell her about what he felt, but he had always come to that worst scenario involving Bones shaking her head and telling him they still could be friends.  
He knew it was not true... as soon as he had revealed his feelings everything would have changed. There would be an awkward feeling and she would try to avoid his nearness. Better to be near her as a friend and not having her quite the way he wanted to than to lose her completely. 

His thoughts were distracted by a hardly audible sob. He looked at Brennan and smiled a bit. Simba had just lost his father and was crying over Mufasa's dead body. Even Bones could not resist that tragic moment and tears were glittering in her eyes. She looked at him and shrugged, then murmured "It's really sad!" "I know" he answered "the first time I saw it I nearly cried too." There was a muffled "sh-sh" from Parker who did not want the adults to talk during HIS movie.

Brennan smiled at Booth for one more moment then returned her attention to the screen.  
Half an hour later – Nala had quarreled with Simba at his exile – Brennan realised the boy's little body had become limp. She nudged Booth gently "I think Parker's asleep" she whispered. "No wonder" Booth gave back "He has seen that movie at least a dozen times... he must be bored of it." He smiled at his son and looked at her... "You want to stop watching, Bones?"

"No... I want to see how it ends... even if it's absolutely not logical... still it's ...entertaining" she admitted. He grinned.  
They watched until Simba and Nala had introduced their son to all the animals and the movie ended with an Elton John song. Booth yawned. "I guess it's time for lunch now... I'll better go to the kitchen, I have to cook something. I don't want Parker to eat fast food all the time."

"I can help you, Booth. Parker is fast asleep anyway." Brennan offered.  
"Okay." They carefully stood up and left the sleeping boy on the couch. 

"What are we going to cook?" she asked him. "Ah, well...to be honest there's not really a wide range of possibilities" he smiled at her "Tortellini alla carbonara ooooooor Spaghetti alla carbonara, your choice!"  
"Oh, I guess I'll take pasta alla carbonara." She laughed at his puzzled look. "Okay... I'd love to have tortellini."

"Perfect... then maybe you could prepare the salad, Bones?" he handed over a bowl and salad and showed her where he stored oil, vinegar and spices.  
'That is really feeling odd... cooking here with him, while his son is asleep on the couch... I ... I really like it' Brennan thought and smiled to herself.

Booth was cooking the tortellini and the carbonara-sauce and when they were finished Brennan went to the living room to wake Parker. "Hey, Parker... Parker, wake up...lunch is ready!" Parker yawned but at the sound of the word "lunch" he rose immediately "Yummy... I am hungry!"

They enjoyed the meal and spent an entertaining afternoon with drawing pictures of the characters of the movie they had watched. Parker's cheeks were glowing when his father finally told him it was bed time. "No, daddy... not now... I slept while you were cooking, I can stay up longer!" "Half an hour, lad, that's my last word!" Booth smiled at his son "You know I have to get you to the kindergarten tomorrow, buddy!" Parker nodded absently, trying to draw a grown-up Simba that mysteriously had a blue mane.

Brennan watched him, smiling gently. She had never thought an entire afternoon with a child could be that entertaining. 'He really is a cute boy.' She thought 'He has much of his father...' She looked up at Booth, who was looking at his son with a loving expression on his face. 'He really is a wonderful father'.

Half an hour and some quarrels later, Parker was in his bed insisting on "his Dr. Bones" telling him a story. Brennan did not know what to do... that was something new for her... telling good-night stories to children. "There's a fairytale book in the first drawer, Bones, just read out one of those fairytales, he usually falls asleep after two or three pages" Booth whispered and gave her an encouraging smile.

She sat down on the side of this bed and pulled out the fairytale book. "Which one would you like to hear, Parker?" "Mhm... can't you make up one? A new one? I know all these and you have been EVEREYWHERE... you know other stories, don't you?"

Booth was standing in the doorframe and chuckled. Parker was full of surprises... he was eager to see how Bones would solve that.

"I should..." Brennan stared at the little boy. 'Me... inventing a story???' "I am not good at telling stories, Parker..." she said. Parker's face wore a disappointed expression.  
"But... I think ... I can try..." she quickly added. She did not know any stories that were suitable for children, no fairytales, but suddenly a memory popped up in her head. A legend a woman had told her while she had been to South America. It was about a boy who got lost in the jungle. The little boy learned to survive in the jungle and finally found his way back to his parents. 

Parker clung to her lips, he did not miss a single word. When Brennan finally reached the end of her story he yawned... "That was nice, Dr. Bones,... a bit like Mogli... I like it... Night, Dr. Bones..." "Good night, Parker" she smiled and rose. "Normally I get a good night kiss..." Parker said. She returned to the bed and leaned down to give him a quick, soft peck on the cheek "Okay then, good night, sleep tight, Parker!"

She left his bedroom door slightly open and met Booth's eyes; he had been waiting outside. "You have more talents that one would think, Bones..." he smiled at her.

"I've never done that before" she said and shook her head. "Maybe you should,... you are good at it!" he realised what he just said. That had been more or less an invitation to stay with him for ... longer.

She pretended to have overheard it and yawned. "I am tired too, you know... but Booth... I really want to go to work tomorrow... I mean you have to go to work too and I can't be here alone all day... that would drive me crazy...!" 

"Okay... I'll drop you at the Jeffersonian but first we have to bring Parker to the kindergarten... deal?" he smirked. "Deal? ... What do you mean?" Brennan looked confused. "Oh, honestly, Bones... If I am asking "DEAL?" and you agree, you have to say "DEAL!" and that's it..." he chuckled. "Oh... well, then... deal" she said "And good night"

"Good night, Bones" he answered.

"Booth?..." he turned. "Who is Mogli?" she asked.  
He laughed "Oh, Bones... I guess we will have to watch another movie soon!"


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15  
... words ...

"Bo-o-ones? Are you ready? We are waiting." Parker and Booth were standing at the door, fully dressed – ready to go.

"Coming!" Brennan shouted and quickly grabbed her bag. A quick glance at the mirror... She saw herself staring back at her. She still looked a bit pale, but she was confident she would be able to work.

"How come men always have to wait for women?" Booth smiled at her.  
"Oh, I know why I am late... because YOU occupied the bath room for ages!" she smiled back. She was looking forward to going to the lab – her job was important to her.

They first dropped Parker at the kindergarten, then drove to the Jeffersonian. With Parker the car had been filled with conversation – without him there was a sudden silence.

When he stopped the car at the Jeffersonian, Booth cleared his throat and looked at Brennan. "Be careful... stay in the lab until I come to pick you up, okay? I'll be here around lunch time to check if you are okay."

"Booth, you don't have to... As soon as I am showing the slightest sign of weakness Angela is going to call you anyway." Brennan rolled her eyes. He smiled.  
"We'll see, Bones... just... be careful." Booth's voice was soft. She nodded and got out off the car, and keeping herself from looking back she steadily walked towards the doors.

- - - - 

Angela cheered at the sight of Brennan appearing in the lab. "Bren's back..."

"Hi Angela, Jack, Zach...!" Brennan looked at the squints.

"Dr. Brennan... good to see you again!" Hodgins greeted her.

"Welcome back, Dr. Brennan!" Zach added and barely looked up from the bones he examined. "Here are some interesting scratches on the left tibia of that woman... you might want to examine that yourself...".

Angela gave him a disapproving look..."Zach, she just came back, could you just wait one minute before discussing those awful scratches?"

Brennan said "I'll have a look at it - just one minute, Zach." and headed towards her office, followed by Angela.

"Hey Bren... how was your Sunday with our favourite FBI agent?"

"We spent it with Parker... watching a movie and drawing pictures." Brennan explained.   
"Really?... that sounds so cute...!" Angela's face wore a dreamy smile.

Brennan nodded "Yes, he is a nice boy! It was entertaining... I even had to tell him a good night story!" Brennan still could not believe she somehow had managed that... and... she reminded herself: 'I have to google on that Mogli... Booth still hasn't told me!'

"A story...oh,... so sweet. He loves you... just like his father." Angela winked.

"Oh, come on now, Angela, please..." Brennan tried to avoid Angela's eyes and started to arrange the files on her desk.

"Sweetie, there is no escape! You feel something for him... and Booth is definitely feeling something too... He is overprotective, he spends more time with you than necessary and he wants his son to get familiar with you... and..." Angela had only just begun.

Brennan rolled her eyes, but suddenly she saw a movement behind Angela in the doorframe... Angela had not even closed the door... She winced.

"... and he watched over you all the time while you have been in hospital,..."

".Angela... please" Brennan's word sounded like a cough... she was feeling dizzy.

"... and he refused to eat, as I told you before, that's something not to be underestimated, sweetie,... I mean it's so easy to see he is absolutely in love" – "ANGELA, SHUT UP!" Brennan screamed.

Angela looked at her in shock and disbelief. "What's wrong, sweetie?"

Brennan had to hold on to her desk. "Behind you" she managed to whisper.

Angela spun around "Woohoo... Hi Booth... Did I forget to close the door? Uhm... that's kind of... uhm..." Angela stuttered and blushed a bit. Seeing Angela blush would have been a moment to remember, but Booth and Brennan had other things on their minds.

Booth's eyes were wide open, his pale face seemed to be emotionless. His hands were clutching Brennan's bag and his eyes were fixed on Brennan when he slowly said "Angela, please go... Bones and I ... we have to talk...". Angela looked at him and then at Brennan, smiled and said "Oka-a-a-y."

"And close the door this time, Angela." Brennan managed to utter. She had to sit down... she had to wake up from that nightmare. This situation was more than only embarrassing.

Silence filled her office and she finally sat down on the desk, not sure if she would have been able to reach the chair without swaying.

"Bones..." Booth cleared his throat. "First of all... you forgot your bag" he put it on the desk and remained where he was – only a few steps away from her. "Temperance... we have to talk... I ... I wanted to talk to you before, but I feared... I feared it could influence our friendship...maybe... because I did not know how you were going to react... you know... and our friendship is important to me." he murmured. He did not dare to look at her but he knew sooner or later he would have to face truth. Today was the day ... the day to tell her everything.

'Friendship.' She sighed. 'Of course... what else?' she thought 'He is my friend and Angela's ever open mouth has lead to that situation and now he is going to tell me we could stay friends and all that sort of things... I knew we would end up like that... but still I do want him so much.'

"Booth" she whispered "I already told Angela several times she is misinterpreting all that..."

"Ah, you know, Bones... there's the tricky part" Booth fixed his eyes on her face "Because... she is not."

"What?" she gasped.  
"I said ... she is not misinterpreting... at least she is not misinterpreting my feelings..." his voice was trembling. Booth looked at her, searching her face for any reaction he could interpret.

Bones' heart was pounding fast. Her head was full of thoughts and words, but she could not pick out a single one. 'What to do, what to do... '  
She did not know, if she should laugh, cry, dance or ... breathe. Well, that was something to start with. She drew in a deep breath. 'Breathe, Brennan, breathe.'

"Temperance,... could you please say something... " Booth whispered.

Brennan shook her head,... she could move, but she was still speechless. She was not capable of uttering a single word. She was not even sure if she would be able to keep herself from fainting.

Booth closed his eyes. 'Ladies and gentlemen, may I introduce to you, the fool of the year: Seeley Booth.' The voice in his head was mocking him. 'No she knows... and everything is going to change... Seeley, you are an idiot! Get out of here and lick your wounds!'

"I see... That has obviously shocked you. I guess... I should go now..." his voice sounded hoarse and his eyes looked sad... so sad it broke something inside her.

"No!" she managed to say. He turned around and watched her. She was half-sitting on her desk, avoiding his eyes she was staring on the floor.

She cleared her throat. "Don't leave me like that."

"Like what?" he asked, approaching to her slowly. His hands were trembling.

"Speechless... not able... to answer." She explained with a shaky voice.

He watched her with his dark brown eyes ... desperately searching for a hint ... a hint on her feelings.

"Temperance?... " he whispered once more. His mouth was dry. Suddenly she lifted her head and looked at him with those pale blue eyes and he saw they were filled with tears. 

"Booth... I... I thought... we were just friends and partners, but... but... " she sobbed. He came nearer and touched her cheek to brush a tear away. "Temperance, I am your friend, I am your partner... but there's more, you know" he murmured with a husky voice. She lifted her head and their eyes met and he suddenly knew she was feeling the same. 'Oh my god...' he thought. She lifted her hand and touched his lips.  
"I know, Booth" she whispered and he pulled her in a soft embrace. It felt good to hold her, but the only thing he wanted to do was to kiss her now and never let go.

He looked down at her and saw her beautiful blue eyes staring back. Suddenly she brushed her lips over his and he deepened the kiss. It felt wonderful... the emotions were just overwhelming... better than anything he could have imagined and... to be honest he had imagined a lot. This first kiss was like a promise, a promise to be there for each other... and both of them knew that this would change their lives.


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 16  
...about obstacles ...

They still stood in her office holding each other tight, simply enjoying the feeling to touch each other. Booth placed a kiss on her hair and mumbled "You have no idea how much I wanted to hold you, to kiss you". She nuzzled up against him and simply said. "Me too".

They heard footsteps approaching the office, but then Angela's voice shouted "Zach, don't dare to open that door... I am going to strangle you!" and they heard Zach hastily move away from the door. "What..." they heard his voice from a distance.

Brennan smiled at Angela's words, but still this interruption had brought her back to reality. "Booth,... I don't want to ruin this moment,... don't think I am regretting it... it's just..." she did not know what to say.

"I know, Bones... it is not going to be easy. Some people will not really be happy with this." Booth smiled down on her.

She nodded. "They... what if... what if they are going to separate us, to end our partnership... I don't want to work with anybody else... I don't think I CAN work with anybody else..." She looked at him.

"I don't know, Bones... They might not be happy with it, but as you are not FBI ... maybe ... they will just accept it... I do not know." He placed a soft kiss on her forehead. "I do not regret it either, Bones... I feels too good to regret it... I know there will be obstacles, but I do not care really,... do you?"

"No... not really... it's just... I don't want to have to leave that office ... to explain... to justify..." she murmured. "What are the squints going to say...? Booth asked, grinning.

"Oh... that... well ...Angela... oh, man, that's the first reason I don't want to open that door. I don't want to see that "I have told you a hundred times" expression on her face... and I sure as hell don't want to listen to her endless "I knew it, I knew it"... " she grinned. "Hodgins is going to be a bit surprised, I guess, but he will be pleased by it... and Zach... well... first he will not know how to react, but he will get used to it, I guess. But... Cam... I do not know..." Brennan looked at Booth's face.

"Oh, she is not going to like it, but she will get used to it too..." Booth said thoughtfully.

"Cullen?" Brennan asked "Your colleagues?"

"My colleagues... they are going to make jokes and have a great time teasing me, but I don't think there will be a problem... as for Cullen... I don't know." Booth admitted.

He looked down at her and once more could not believe he really was holding her in his arms. "You know, Bones, I do not really care, as I have said before... If he wants to separate us, we will fight, how does that sound to you?" he asked.

"Wonderful" she mumbled against his chest. He brushed his lips over her hair and whispered: "I love you, Temperance... nothing they say or do can change that."

"Oh, Booth... " She swallowed... "I... I love you too." To say it out aloud made her heart jump... it was wondrous, new, amazing... but also so natural.

"I wanted to tell you everything for so long, Temperance, but I couldn't... I thought it might ruin our friendship ... but now..." he left the sentence unfinished... There was no need to say everything out aloud, they understood each other without words.

"Booth... I ... knew there was more than friendship, but I feared you were just so concerned about me because I was your partner..." Brennan sighed.

"You know, Bones,... somehow we should be grateful to Angela for having such a big mouth... " he laughed. "Somehow... but still I could have strangled her... but I was too busy to keep myself from fainting..." she admitted.  
"Ah... you really did look like you were going to kill her..." he confirmed. They laughed.

He was still holding her and she enjoyed the feeling, but they knew that they would have to end it soon. He had to go to work... confessing his love to her was no official excuse for not coming to work.

"I don't want to go, Bones, but it's late... and I have work to do..." he hesitated, he did not want to let her go, he wanted to hold her tight. She sighed "I know" She stepped back and touched his cheek "Don't worry... I won't change my mind when you're gone." She beamed at him. "That's good to know, Bones" he gave back.

He glanced at his wristwatch and cursed "I wont' be able to pick you up for lunch, Bones... I am sorry, but there is a lot of paperwork I have to do... Cullen is going to kill me if I do not complete the report on the attack on you at the hospital parking lot... so... I guess I'll pick you up here at 6? Wong Foo's? Would that be okay? And if you are feeling ill or something, call me... okay?

She smiled at him "May I call you without feeling ill or something?" Booth grinned "Sure, but I guess you will be busy with telling Angela every little detail... "

She frowned "Probably. But there aren't so many details so far... I hope there will be more details tomorrow." She gave him a lusty smile "... I don't think you will need the couch tonight..."  
His eyes widened. "Oh... is that a promise?" he asked, his face wearing an identical expression to hers. She nodded. 'How long can a day be?' he wondered.

"So... are you ready to step into the lion's den?" she asked pointing towards the door. He shrugged. "We have to, don't we?"  
"Yeah... keeping it secret would work only as long, as Angela is not looking at us... so... it won't work" she chuckled.

He studied her face. She looked happy ... just like he felt. He still could not believe he told her he was in love with her... and... her confession she was in love with him too had been the sweetest sound ever.

"What do you think, Bones, shall we give them a demonstration?"  
She giggled "Seriously?" He grinned. "Why not?"

"Ah, no... better not... Maybe Cam is also out there... that would be a bit rude, don't you think so?" Brennan pointed out.  
Since when she was the one with the sense of tact, he wondered.

"Hm... okay... you're right. Then I'll have my kiss good-bye now." He said and drew her close. He plundered her mouth with his tongue and felt they both knew there would indeed be no use of the couch that evening... unless maybe the would not make it to the bedroom. After some time they parted from each other again, both a bit breathless.

"Don't work too much, Bones, save some energy for the evening!" he winked at her, then took in a deep breath and opened the door.


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter 17  
... where are they? ...

There was nobody in sight. 'Strange enough', Brennan thought. 'No smiling and cheering Angela?' She looked at Booth and saw him frown. He looked around, his FBI senses clearly at alert. "Booth,.." she whispered. "Hush" He murmured. They both knew something was absolutely wrong. It was too calm. 'Eerie' she thought.

Carefully not to make a sound he pulled out his gun "Stay at your office and lock the door" he whispered. He suddenly presented a second, smaller gun and gave it to her. She wanted to refuse, wanted to insist on going with him but then realised she was not yet fully recovered. She would not really be helpful. She sighed, then nodded. "Be careful" she whispered, gave him one last look, then shut the door.

Booth waited until he heard the key turn in the lock. 'Good girl.' He thought.

Slowly he started to investigate the empty lab. He moved from office to office, from room to room. All deserted. 'How can that be' he thought. 'Only 15 minutes ago we heard them talking... Where are they?' He moved on, searching the area for any hint on what was going on.

Finally he reached the room with the Angelator. The door was closed. He never had seen that door closed before... There was light inside. He stood beside the door, and carefully tried to open it. It was locked. He cursed under his breath.  
Then he frowned... the door had no lock... so why he could not open it? Something has to be blocking it from the inside... something... or somebody. He pushed and felt the door move a bit. He glanced over his shoulder, then he pushed harder. He managed to open the door slightly so he could peek in. 

The squints were in there, lying on the floor, obviously unconscious. The body half leaning against the door was Zach. Booth looked around again, then grabbed Zach's shoulder and pushed him away. Then he opened the door and entered the room. He checked pulse and breathing of Hodgins, Zach, Angela and Cam. He looked at them and chose to try to wake Hodgins... after shaking him and even slapping him lightly he gave up. Whatever had caused that unconsciousness was still too effective to wake them up.

He looked around and saw a can lying on the floor... 'Gas!' he thought. He understood... somebody has managed to get them all into the room and then thrown the can with gas in. 'No alarm' he asked himself. 'Maybe this room is not connected to the alarm system... there is nothing in here except the Angelator'.

He pulled out his cell and called the headquarters to inform them that somebody has entered the Jeffersonian and attacked the squints – and may still be in the building, probably armed.

After finishing his call, he heard a male voice from a distant, saying something and his first thought was 'Bones!'. He spun around but that very moment something hit his head and everything went black.

Brennan was waiting in her office, avoiding the windows, just as Booth once had told her. She looked down on the gun in her hand and knew it was her life assurance if anything should happen. 'Where are they...?' she asked herself over and over.

She waited for what seemed hours, but in reality were only minutes. Suddenly she heard a knock on the door.

"Dr. Brennan?" a male voice said. "Dr. Brennan are you there? It's Spence... I mean Dr. Robert Spencer... you know ... doing microbiology over there in the next building? I ... I was here to have Dr. Hodgins' opinion on something, but I did not find anybody... I have been wandering around, but there is nobody... but I remember this door had been open before, so I assumed...I mean... are you there, Dr. Brennan?"

First she did not remember, but then she realised she knew the voice and she knew the man. Hastily she got up, clearing her throat and said: "Yes,... I am coming" and went to the door... she unlocked and opened it.

Outside stood Dr. Spencer looking at her. That very moment it struck her, that something was wrong... Spencer did not look nervous or frightened. He looked... satisfied and his face wore a grin. "Hello Dr. Brennan... thanks for making it so easy" he said sarcastically than quickly stabbed her with something he had been hiding in his right fist.

'Some sort of injection' Brennan's mind analysed. "Why..." her mouth formed the word, but there was no sound leaving it. She felt strength leaving her and she knew the injection had been some kind of anaesthetic.

'Why Dr. Spencer? Why should he...?' ... her last thoughts echoed in her head as suddenly her vision blurred and she lost consciousness.


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter 18  
... lost ...

Booth's senses slowly came back. He felt the mother of all headaches arousing. 'Why does my head ache that much?' he asked himself, every thought followed by another stab of pain. "Bones!" he murmured. Suddenly all the pain was washed away by the thought of her.

He stirred and realised he was not able to move. He opened his eyes. Dim light was filling the room, the familiar glow of the Angelator. He looked around, finding all the squints still unconscious. 'That means I have not been knocked out for long.' He thought.

Again he tried to move, but there was some sort of tape around his wrists and ankles. 'Damn it' he cursed. Suddenly he heard a moan from his right side. Hodgins was waking up. "Hodgins... hey Hodgins!" Booth whispered. "Come on, hurry up, no time to lose, you got to help me get rid of that tape!" Hodgins eye lids opened slightly. He moaned once more. "What happened?" he managed to utter, while slowly gathering his senses. "No time to explain, Bones is in danger... the others are well, they will wake up soon too... Come on, now, Hodgins, help me!" Hodgins slowly moved towards Booth, his movements still a bit unsteady... finally he had loosened the tape around Booths wrists and Booth freed his ankles. 'Crap, my gun is gone... perfect, just perfect.'

He stood up, ignoring the pain in his head and looked down. Hodgins still sat on the floor trying to recall what had happened. "Hodgins, I have to go and see if Bones is alright, I have informed the FBI, they will be here soon. Take care of the others and don't leave this room." Hodgins nodded slowly, then he crept towards Angela, murmuring "Angela, darling?" 

Booth had no time to watch, he had to go and find out what happened to Bones.

He hurried to her office... when he saw the open door his chest tightened. The door did not look damaged. 'She opened it... why did that woman open the door?' he thought.

He went inside the office, but it looked like before, when he had left it... when he had been standing there with her in his arms. 'Damn, damn, damn,... I have to find her...'

He glanced at the watch on her desk. He had been knocked out for ten or fifteen minutes. 'Somebody kidnapped her... they are gone...' he sighed. 'I will find her... I can't lose her!' the words echoed in his head and the pain became worse.

'No time for that' he thought. He left the office again, but suddenly something distracted him. He looked down on the floor... a syringe was glittering in the pale light.

The same moment he heard the automatic doors open and he knew the FBI was here.

The squints and Booth were sitting in the lab, staring at each other. The FBI had investigated the scene, all of them had been questioned. The squints had been lured to the Angelator by a man who claimed to be an electrician.

"I should have known, that there was something wrong" Zach muttered all the time.

Fortunately the gas had left them only a bit dizzy, but had not harmed them in any other way. 'I got it worst' Booth thought 'Knocked out by someone using the fire extinguisher.' The doctor had offered him pain-killers and recommended some rest, but Booth did not want to rest and did not want to be influenced by the pain-killers. He wanted to find Bones.

All of them were anxious about Brennan. The FBI had found no evidences, no fingerprints, the syringe had contained an anstaethicum, but that had lead them nowhere. The kidnapper had used black spray colour to make the cameras useless. There were no leads. 'How am I supposed to find her without any hint?' Booth sighed. 

Angela watched him closely. "Booth... we are going to find her... somehow... we MUST!" she tried to keep her voice steady. "She is a fighter... she will be alright!"

Booth only nodded, still thinking of anything he might have missed before... but his head was aching and his brooding led nowhere. He sighed once more 'Now the only thing left is hope' he thought. 

Brennan sensed something …… but what was it? Something hard beneath her... rough... the structure... 'Concrete' she thought. She tried to open her eyes and found it harder than she had thought. Finally she managed to keep them slightly opened. 'Cellar'.

She tried to recall, what had happened to her. Images popped up in her head 'Dr. Spencer... syringe... office... Booth... Booth!' Suddenly she was overwhelmed by emotions. He loved her... she still could feel his kisses on her lips. Somehow this memory made her situation look even more miserable. She was in a cellar, gagged and fettered and alone. She tried to put her thoughts of Booth aside. 'Why Dr. Spencer... ?' It still made no sense. She had met the man at some occasions, but she never had the feeling he was too interested in her, although she knew he had been watching her. But she was used to that... everybody was talking about her. Her work was something other people politely called "unusual" aloud and thought of as 'morbid' ... and she was a well-known writer.

She looked around, searching for something that might help her find out, where she was, but the cellar was absolutely empty. A single light bulb was dangling from the ceiling... the only reason why she was able to see something. No windows. Only naked walls and a door.

Suddenly she heard footsteps from outside the old wooden door that built the border of her little world.

The door opened and a tall man entered the room. "Hello Temperance!" he said, coming closer and removing her gag. She gasped. She knew this voice all too well... it had been the voice of her nightmares. The voice of... "Archibald Marks" she said.


	19. Chapter 19

Chapter 19  
... games ...

Marks nodded ..."Alive and well... not much to your pleasure, I assume". He chuckled. "You may call me Archie... as we are going to spend some time together we might as well have some... privacy." He smiled at her. It was a cold smile that sent a shiver down her spine. 'Spend some time...' she thought 'He told his aunt he was going to finish something... rape me?... I won't make it easy' she decided, but being fully aware of her desperate situation she knew she would not be able to do anything. Her ankles and her wrists were bound, her head a bit dizzy and her body still weak.

"What is it, Temperance?" Marks watched her "Are you afraid...? You look afraid... just like the eleven year old girl I once knew" He laughed a sardonic laugh. "Come on, girl... no need to act brave... whatever happens in here, stays in here... If you feel like crying, cry... "

She shook her head. 'No way ... I am not going to give the bastard what he wants'. She studied his face... some lines, a bit thinner and the hair had turned a bit grey... but still he had not changed much. The same man... the same fear.

There was a knock at the door. "Come in" Marks said and turned around to the door.

Robert Spencer entered the room, carrying something. 'Folding chairs' Brennan discerned.

"Now look at that, Temperance,... chairs... isn't that comfortable...?" Marks' voice was full of sarcasm.

"Dr. Brennan... how are you?" Spence added in light conversational tone. He came over to her and forced her onto one of the chairs. "Be a good girl and sit down" he hissed, when she tried to fight him. She gave in... what else could she do?

"Now, Temperance... I bet you are wondering what is going on here? The respected Dr. Spencer together with a criminal like me?" Marks asked, grinning.

She cleared her throat. Keeping the conversation going would give her time... and would give Booth time to find her.  
"I guess you have been to the university together? As you have both studied Microbiology that seems to be the most logical way to make a connection between you two" She said.

"Well done, Temperance, what a clever girl!" Marks said. "But we are also cousins... we grew up together, just like brothers after Rob's mother had died... we used to play together... we always played together, eh, Rob?"

Spence nodded. "But you are the reason Arch got condemned, Dr. Brennan... Stopped our little game."

Brennan understood. There had not been one man raping the girls... there had been two. The cousins did not look that much alike to make the relation too obvious, but the anthropologist's eye saw more: same structure, same height, resembling shape of the face and same colour of hair and eyes... The descrïption of a frightened girl might be the same for both of these two men.

"Game..." she muttered. "Raping girls? That was your game?"

"Oh, yes, Temperance... but you did not play your part very well!" Marks gave back.

"But what a handy coincidence that you came to work at the Jeffersonian... just like me." Spence added. "I could hardly believe it..." He laughed.

"It was some hard work to convince the jury to let me out of prison... but they could not prove that it was me raping the other girls... and for one of the attacks I had an alibi..." Marks grinned.  
'Of course you had an alibi' Brennan thought 'Because it had been Spencer.' She closed her eyes briefly. 

"...and here we are now, Temperance... again... no hikers to come to your aid today, eh?" he laughed again.

"And that pet FBI agent of yours won't help you out, too... he is not going to find you here." Spence said.

"Booth" Marks spat out "He spoiled our plan. It would have been genius, really... if he had not come up to your apartment you would be dead by now... but that gave us time to think about it..., you know? We decided to play with you a bit. It is much more satisfying this way..." he looked pleased with himself.

"How did you get rid of that FBI moron, Arch?" Spence asked.

"Oh, I had to knock him out... what a pity... really... I'd rather used something more subtle... but there was no time and no gas left ..." he gave her a smile that looked that foul she had to choke.

"Now, Temperance... I am going to promise you something... You are going to die... but not today... we are going to play a little game with you and your pet FBI agent ... oh, it will be such fun... ". Marks came closer and touched her cheek. She shivered. "What a pity you are grown-up now... you have been such a sweet girl... but now... not quite my taste anymore. But still... I want my revenge... It has been a long time, Temperance... I am going to pay it all back" he laughed again and then the two men left the room.

Brennan drew in a deep breath. 'Not their taste anymore...' she had to fight back her urge to vomit 'they only want children. They are not going to rape me.'

The door was opened once more and Spencer came in, balancing an tray. "We won't let you starve, Dr. Brennan... we want you to be healthy for our game." He left the tray on the floor before her chair and untied the rope around her wrists. Then he left. She heard the key turn in the lock.

She massaged her aching wrists, then examined the food on the tray. A bottle with water and a plate with a sandwich. She unwrapped the sandwich and started to eat. Then she saw that something was hidden underneath the plate. She lifted the plate. It was a cut-out of a newspaper. The head-line read "Young girl raped – again no suspect!"

This time it was even harder to fight back the vomiting. She dropped the sandwich and read the article. It was short and reported that the attack on Sarah Nobbs had been the second such incidence within the last ten days. 'Ten days' she thought 'While I had been to hospital.' Tears filled her eyes. Again young girls had suffered. She buried her head in her hands.

Booth walked around in the room like a tiger in his cage. Cullen looked at him. "Agent Booth... you should go home and rest a bit. The doctors said you may have a concussion!"

Booth did not even react. Cullen sighed. It was clear that Booth would not leave... even mortally wounded that stubborn man would not give up.

"Man... I know you are worried about Dr. Brennan, but you cant do anything right now... go home... take a shower, get some sleep..." one of his colleagues added. Agent O'Brian had taken over the case, since Booth was right in the middle of it he was excpected to leave it to him.

He shook his head. "I can't... I have to do something..." his voice faded.  
Agent O'Brian watched Booth and sighed... the man looked tired but also not willing to  
give up.

"Agent Booth" a young female agent stood in the doorframe. Booth spun around. "I am sorry to interrupt you, sir" she nodded towards Cullen and then O'Brian. "But we just found a parcel at the parking lot... addressed to Agent Booth." She handed it over to him.

Cullen wanted to say something but she gave him a wry smile "I know, Sir... we scanned it already...it seems there's only a piece of paper and some kind of cloth in it."

Booth stared at the parcel, grabbed the gloves the young FBI agent offered him and then tore it open hastily. Inside there was indeed a piece of cloth. It looked like... " A gag" he whispered and swallowed. Then he looked at the note. It read "Want to play a game, Agent Booth?". He knew paper and writing would be the same as at Bones' "fan mail".

He closed his eyes and swallowed hard. "We have to check if there is spittle on the gag... and if it matches with Bones' DNA." He tried to keep his voice steady, but he could not hide the fact his emotions were in a mess. The gag meant she was somewhere captured, maybe tortured... but alive. That single word meant a world to him.  
"Alive" he murmured.


	20. Chapter 20

Chapter 20  
... trying to find her ...

The squints were investigating the parcel Booth had brought. He wanted them to work on it, because the FBI laboratory was busy with other cases. He wanted a team that was fully concentrated on Bones' case. He wanted her back... he could still smell her, feel her kiss, recall how it had felt to hold her. 'We must find her' he thought.

Angela had let out a cry when she saw the gag, but she steadied herself quickly. She wanted to help, not to whine. There was no time to lose.

They analysed the material and after some time confirmed that it was Dr. Brennan's DNA on it. The material was white cotton, probably taken from a bed sheet or something similar. 'No lead in that' Booth thought. He walked around in the lab, trying to be patient. Agent O'Brian had allowed him to bring the parcel here, but had forced him to swear he would keep him informed.

Booth walked to Brennan's office and shook his head "Why did she open the door?" he muttered. He had asked himself the question at least ten times the last hours.

Suddenly it struck him. "Idiot!" he cried out. Zach jumped at the sound of his voice. "What?" he asked. Booth looked at him, slapping his forehead. "I am an idiot!" he said, a bit calmer now "I heard a voice from a distant, then ... only an instant later somebody knocked me down... there are TWO. One alone could never do that! Has anyone been here... anybody unusual?" He asked Zach. Zach only stared back, then, after some time, nodded. "Not really unusual, but... a Microbiologist was here to see Dr. Hodgins. I don't know his name... ".

Booth's eyes widened as he heard "Microbiologist"... 'A coincidence? Marks is a Microbiologist too!' he thought.

Five minutes later he had informed O'Brian that they had to search for Dr. Robert Spencer who probably had kidnapped Bones.

'I don't think they expected me to find out there are two of them' he mused. He shook his head. Of course Bones had opened the door for Dr. Spencer... he surely had told her a nice story like 'I can't find anybody, blah, blah...' somehow he had to be an accomplice of Marks. 'That's something to work with' Booth thought and he felt a tiny bit of hope.

Brennan looked at her wrist-watch. She was surprised they had not taken it away. She knew how it was to be in place where you can't measure time... minutes become hours and days become weeks... it had happened to her once and the memory was still vivid.

She sighed... four hours ago Spencer had brought the food and the news-paper cut-out. After one hour she had finally eaten the sandwich, because she knew she would need her strength. It tasted like ash in her mouth, but with the water she forced it down. Half of the water was still left. She did not know, when they were going to bring water the next time, so she did not want to waste it.

The door opened again. Spencer brought her a pillow and a blanket and took away the tray.

"I ... I have to go to the toilet." She said. He gave her a cold smile, shrugged and closed the door behind him... he came back a few minutes later and presented her a bucket. "Your toilet, mylady." He mimicked a bow and left.

'Nice' she thought. She decided to avoid the bucket as long as possible.

Realising how tired the felt she sighed and then thought 'I might as well use that pillow and blanket'.

Her eyes fixed on the light bulb, she finally wrapped herself with the blanket and thought of Booth.

Agent O'Brian cursed as he read the paper the younger FBI agent just had given him. He pulled out his cell phone and dialed Booth's number.

"Booth"  
"Agent Booth... you told me to check on Dr. Robert Spencer... we found something. He ... he is the cousin of Archibald Marks... he was raised by one of his aunts – Caroline Marks, Archibald's mother – after his mother had died ... It seems Archibald and Robert did everything together. Same subjects at school, same hobbies, both studied Microbiology." Agent O'Brian heard Booth curse.

"You have his address?" Booth asked O'Brian.

"Yes," O'Brian answered "We are going to make a little visit... you can join us, if you want, but you have to stay behind and obey my orders."

"Sure" Booth said, eager to be part of it. "Where should we meet?"

They agreed on meeting one block from Spencer's house.

Twenty minutes later Spencer's house was crowded by FBI agents. Everything was cleared, except the cellar. The door was locked, with the key still in the lock. Booth, O'Brian and two other FBI agents opened the door and slowly went down the stairs.

In the middle of the room a woman was sitting on a folding chair, her back to the stair. A hood covered her head. Booth's heart pounded faster. He recognised Bones' cloak and made a dash forward. "Bones!"

He quickly lifted the hood, then stared at the woman. Her hair was blonde and short and she was a bit older than his Bones. He quickly removed her gag. "You are not ..." he murmured,... disappointment overwhelmed him and took his breath away.

"I know you have been expecting somebody else..." she murmured. "My name is Linda Hennessy. If you are agent Booth, I have a message for you..." she looked at him curiously.

"I am agent Booth." He confirmed. In the meanwhile one of the other agents removed the rope around Linda Hennessy's wrists.

"This is the message" She cleared her throat and continued. "You played your part well, agent Booth. Now your part is over. Go get yourself a new partner. Dr. T... t..." she stuttered. "Dr. Temperance Brennan" Booth whispered.  
"right... " Linda Hennessy said "Dr. Brennan is going to die soon. That's all. I am sorry..."

Booth closed his eyes and swallowed hard. "When did they kidnap you, Ms. Hennessy?" Agent O'Brian asked her. 

"Today... I ... had just brought my son to school... and then... they got me... Could I have something to drink maybe?" she mumbled.

O'Brian ordered one agent to get some water for her. "Ms. Hennessy... do you remember anything that might be useful for us?" He asked her.

"I don't know... two men kidnapped me and then there was that hood... they... they kept saying I was part of a game and that they won't harm me... they said if the FBI agents are doing what they are supposed to do, I could be home by today evening... once one of them called the other Archie... but ... that's all I remember..." she gave them an apologetic look.

"Don't blame yourself, Ms. Hennessy! A doctor will have a look at you but I am confident that by today evening you will indeed be back at home." O'Brian gave her a short smile.

She greedily drank the water one of the FBI agents gave her, but then she stopped and frowned. "Wait... there is something else..." She said. "... one of the men... he smelled of something... of horses !" she told them.

"Thank you, Ms. Hennessy!" O'Brian said "My colleagues will accompany you upstairs." He gestured towards the two FBI agents and they left with Ms. Hennessy.

Booth still stood there, staring at the empty chair, clenching his fists trying to fight back his emotions. O'Brian watched him for some time, then he placed a hand on Booth's shoulder. "Man... don't give up... we'll find her." Booth only nodded.  
"She... she means more to you, doesn't she?" O'Brian asked quietly.  
Booth closed his eyes. "Yeah...that's why I have to find her... I need her" he whispered. O'Brian nodded... it was exactly what he had expected.

Booth drew in a deep breath, then he said: "Let's go... and find some horses" and left the cellar.


	21. Chapter 21

Chapter 21  
... girls talk ...

Brennan shivered. It was cold in the cellar and the blanket did not warm her enough. Her cloak was gone. She had fallen asleep, but it had been a restless sleep full of awful dreams, leaving her breathless and wide-awake.

None of the two men had shown up again in the past few hours, a fact that made her both grateful, because she did not really enjoy the company but at the other hand also worrying. What if they got caught and nobody knew where she was?

'Booth is going to find me... he found me the last time,... he is going to get me out of here.' She repeated the thoughts over and over, like a mantra. The sound of footsteps and a muffled cry from the other side of the door interrupted her thoughts.

Hodgins held Angela in a tight embrace. "Angela, what is it?"

He had been watching Angela talking at the phone from the other side of the lab and as soon as he had seen her face he had ran over to her. She had dropped the cell phone and her eyes had been filled with tears. But still she said nothing.

"Angela... what happened?" Jack asked again.

"Booth" she whispered.

"Is ... what ... Dr. Brennan?" he avoided to ask if they had found a body. He could not force himself to say it out aloud. Saying things aloud made them ... more real.

He felt Angela stiffen in his arms. "It's okay, Jack... thank you... could you tell the others to meet me here? I'd like to fill them in." He looked at her... somehow she managed to hide that she had just been crying. Hodgins touched her cheek, but then nodded and left, searching for Zach and Cam.

Five minutes later she explained, what had happened at Spencer's house.

"You mean... you mean that bastards kidnapped that poor woman only to 'deliver the message'?" Hodgins asked. She nodded. "They call it a game... and they told Booth his part in it is over... that Bren is going to die soon..." Angela said, trying to stay calm.

She felt fear nag at her, but she did not want to let the feelings out again. She was sure she would not be able to steady herself again, so she just tried to bury her fear deep down in herself. Booth's voice was still in her ears... the sound of it had caused her chest to tighten... it had been full of fear and thick with emotion. 'He thought he had found her... but these filthy bastards only used her coat to make him feel even more miserable after finding out it wasn't her... ' her thoughts were interrupted by the ringing of her cell phone.

Hodgins spotted it, still lying on the floor where she had dropped it, picked it up and handed it over to her.

A look at the display told her it was Booth again. "Yes, Booth?"

"Angela! I just found something out... there have been two attacks on young girls the last few days... very, very similar to those that had occurred when Bones was 11 years old... I remembered I heard something about it on the radio... I am going to send you the files and everything... with Marks and Spencer we do have two suspects... maybe the girls can report anything helpful... or Hodgins can do his analysing-thing with what the cops have found at the scenes..."

He told her what he knew about the two girls, Sarah Nobbs and Lindsay Gruger.

"Okay, folks" Angela said to the squints after hanging up "there's work to do".

She explained the latest information and thought 'No way these two assholes are going to get out of that!'

Booth looked at the phone. Angela had hung up while he still had been talking. Obviously she was eager to start working on the girls' cases.

'Okay let the squints do whatever they do... I am going to do my work too' he thought and left the office to talk to Agent O'Brian.

Brennan's eyes were fixed on the door. Spencer opened the door and she saw he was dragging a blindfolded girl with him. He pushed the child in the room, then threw in two bottles of water. He lustily glanced at the girl and the sight of this made Brennan furious.

She grabbed the girls hand and pulled her close to comfort her. "It's alright" she murmured over and over and removed the blindfold, ignoring Spencer, who still stood in the doorframe, watching them.

"Don't promise that nobody will harm her, Dr. Brennan... you won't be able keep the promise." Laughing nastily he left the room.

Brennan looked at the girl and forced herself to put an encouraging smile on her face. "Hey,... my name is Temperance Brennan... and what's your name?"

The girl sobbed. "Tammy... Tamara Greene... what happened...where are we?" she asked, her eyes brimming with tears.

"I do not know, Tammy... I am sorry... Tammy... did ... did they ... I mean, are you hurt?"  
She was relieved to see the girl shaking her head. She looked fragile and scared, her big brown eyes wide open, but she was whole and not hurt. 'Not yet' Brennan thought and a sick feeling rose again in her.

"Tammy... what do you think... since we can not really do much in here, we could try to get to know each other better?" 'Keep her talking... that helps to fight the fear' Brennan thought to herself.

Tammy nodded. "Okay, then... I'll ask you a question... and then you ask me one, does that sound fair?" Again the girl remained silent, showing her agreement by nodding.

"Okay,... so Tammy how old are you?" Brennan asked in a soft voice.

The girl murmured "10... but next week's my 11th birthday!"

"Okay, Tammy... now it's your turn... you can ask me something!" Brennan encouraged the girl.

The girl looked at her curiously, then said. "The man... he called you Dr. Brennan... what kind of doctor are you?" 

"Oh..." Brennan nearly started to recite the descrïption of anthropology, but then realised a 10-year-old girl would be bored by that. "Well... I am a scientist... I examine old skeletons to tell when the people lived and what caused their death."

"Ew... that's weird... but kind of cool." Tammy almost smiled.

Brennan tried to banish the thoughts of Spencer or Marks touching that sweet girl and asked the next question. "So... you told me you'll be 11 soon... do you already know what presents you are going to get?"

Tammy's eyes suddenly shone brightly and she started to list many things Brennan vaguely identified as computer games and DVDs.

The kept on talking... Brennan tried to keep the girl busy by letting her tell stories about herself and her little brother.

'I hope they find us before these two sick bastards are coming back' Brennan thought. And although she had never believed in a god, she prayed for his help to safe the girl and herself. 


	22. Chapter 22

Chapter 22  
... news ...

"Agent Booth?" O'Brian looked up at the man that had just entered his office. "What can I do for you?"

Booth told him about the possible connection between the case of Brennan and the raped girls. O'Brian nodded, then said: "You know what? I was just making the same connection..." He showed him the files on his desk "You have already talked to the cops?" Booth nodded. 

O'Brian's phone rang and he answered... most of the time he listened, then took notes and after some time he said "Thank you very much for the information, Officer Malucci!"

He looked at Booth. "There is a 10-year-old girl missing. Her name is Tamara Greene. The little brother - 7 years old - witnessed everything from a tree house. The kidnapper did not see him and he was clever enough to stay quiet. He identified Spencer as the man who pulled his sister in the car and Marks was probably the driver."

Both of them knew that this could be there new lead. They might not be able to find out, where they had brought Brennan, but maybe finding the girl and finding her was the same.

"Do we know anything about the car?" Booth asked. "Yes... usually 7-year-olds would not be able to report anything about that, eh? But we are lucky, the boy is crazy about cars... he said it was a blue BMW, model 5.30 with tinted windows. Unfortunately he could not see the registration plate, but I think there should not be too many of these cars... "

Hodgins was examining the hair that had been found on one of the girl's sweater. After some time he identified it as white horse hair... but they already knew about Marks or Spencer smelling of horses, so it was no break-through at all. He sighed. Horse hair. Horse smell.

He really wanted to help to find Dr. Brennan, because he liked and respected her... and because he could not stand seeing Angela that troubled.

'There has to be something' he told himself 'Start from the beginning.' 

Hodgins arranged the few pieces of evidence again on his table and examined them.

'Would it be possible to find out the breed of the horse?' he asked himself. 'It's worth a try'

"Tempe?" Tammy asked. Brennan and the girl had fallen asleep, cuddled up together for warmth and comfort. Brennan woke with a yawn. It took her a minute to figure out where she was and whom she was holding.

"Tammy, what is it?"

"There have been footsteps on the stair..." Tammy sobbed. "If someone comes in, pretend to be asleep, Tammy." Brennan whispered in her ear. Tammy nodded and closed her eyes.

Brennan had decided to at least try to fight the men to protect the girl. She knew her chances were not good... but she could not stand the thought of the girl being harmed by Marks or Spencer and would do her best to not let it happen.

Brennan waited, ready to jump up and attack, but nobody came in. 'Maybe there are other rooms in that cellar...'she mused.

She pulled Tammy closer and whispered. "Try to sleep, Tammy... Whatever happens you will need your strength".

Hodgins was proud of himself. He finally had found out the breed of the horse, contacting a stallion sperm bank. He shook his head 'Who would have thought something like that exists?' But he also was proud of putting a smile on Angela's face with what he told her.

"A stallion sperm bank?" Angela giggled. "Are you serious?" He nodded. She giggled again then whispered in his ear "Do they already have your number?"

"Angela!" his eyes widened, then he said in a serious voice: "They come to me, baby, I do not have to give my number away."

"What are you laughing about?" Zach looked froma Angela to Hodgins. 

"Oh...nothing!" Angela said. "Jack knows what breed the horses are!"

"Oh... and that's good news?" Zach asked.

"Yes..." Hodgins said "Since Lipizzaner horses are not really common in the United States it might help us!"

"Where do they come from?" Zach asked "Europe... I think Slovenia, but I am not sure... I know that Vienna is famous for having a beautiful Lipizzaner horse show. I have been there but I have not seen the show..." Hodgins started to explain.

"That's lovely, Jack" Angela interrupted him "But there's no time for that now... we have to search for that ... lipidano horses."  
"Lipizzaner" Zach corrected immediately.

"Whatever" Angela rolled her eyes and headed towards her office. The time for laughter and teasing each other was over... they had work to do.  
'Thank god for the blessings of the internet' Angela thought, after finding out what she needed. She grabbed her cell phone to call Booth.


	23. Chapter 23

Chapter 23  
... run! ...

Brennan heard footsteps again and by the way Tammy's body suddenly stiffened in her arms, she could tell the girl had heard them too.

This time a man opened the door. But it was neither Marks nor Spencer. Brennan blinked at the man who stood in the doorway and asked "Who are you?"

Booth sighed. According to the books of the horse breeder, there were five people who had bought Lipizzaner horses in the nearest area. 'Five chances to find her' he thought and left the office.

On his way to O'Brian's office he had an idea. Maybe the owner of one of those horses was driving a BMW. "If this is working out, we'll find her!" he muttered. A young agent gave him a baffled look. Booth smiled wryly. "IF" he said and the other agent shook his head and hastily moved on.

The man looked at her and smiled. "Hello ladies" he said. "Who. Are. You." Brennan hissed.

"Now, now. Dr. Brennan... I thought you would be a bit more polite. Don't you want to thank me for the hospitality?"

Brennan's eyes narrowed.

The man looked at her and then said: "I am friend of Rob. And this is my house. As I am lending them my cellar I thought I might get some kind of... payback? I am not like Archie and Rob... I like grown-up women" Brennan nearly felt his eyes on her and swallowed hard.

Then she suddenly recognised the chance in the situation. The stranger had left the door open. Obviously he was not used to kidnap people and hold them captive. Marks or Spencer would have never made that mistake. They always closed the door and made sure to stay between the door and Brennan.

Brennan sat up, slowly removing the blanket from her and Tammy and looking at the man.

"You won't harm the child?" she asked. The man grinned "She is not going to be harmed by ME...if you are co-operating" He stated.

Brennan watched every single movement of the man approaching her. "Won't you stand up, Dr. Brennan... I hope you will behave yourself... or the girl is going to pay for it!"

Slowly Brennan rose and waited until the man was standing before her. He reached out his hand to touch her. This was the moment she had waited for. With all her strength she pulled up her knee. A howl told her she had found her aim. 'The weakest point of every man' she thought, turned towards Tammy and shouted: "Run, Tammy. Run!"

The man grabbed her hair and brutally pulled her back, cursing. Tammy looked unsure if she should help Brennan or flee. "Run, Tammy! Try to get out! Inform the FBI... Agent Booth...run... that's our only chance! " Tammy dashed forward and out of the door.

Brennan tried to kick the man, but she could not free her hair. He was strong and she knew she would not be able to fight him for long, still being weakened by the recent illness.  
"Silly woman" he grunted and slapped her. 'At least he wont be able to rape me' she thought 'no chance after how I hit him... it must hurt like hell!".

Then he punched her in the face and all lights went out.

Booth and O'Brian looked at the piece of paper. O'Brian nodded. "That's our man... they are hiding at Marcus McGillen's house. He owns a Lipizzaner horse and a blue BMW..."

Booth frowned. "It's nearly too obvious, isn't it?"

O'Brian looked at him curiously "Why do you think so?"

"I don't know... it's just a feeling... I don't think Marks would make such a mistake... he had years in prison to plan this." Booth shrugged.

"Agent Booth... don't forget the first plan failed! I don't think they had time to think of everything." O'Brian pointed out.

Booth was not convinced 'Better be suspicious than hopeful...' He had not forgotten the moment he had lifted the hood and the feeling of deep disappointment that had struck him, seeing it was not his Bones. 

"Let's go" O'Brian said.

The FBI team had encircled McGillen's house. The very moment O'Brian wanted to give orders to his team to enter the house, the door was opened. A young girl was standing in the doorway, absolutely taken aback by all the people.

Seeing that all of them wore FBI-jackets she suddenly asked: "Is there an agent Booth?"

-


	24. Chapter 24

Chapter 24  
... playing games again ...

"I am Agent Booth" Booth said and looked at the girl curiously. "And you are?"

"Mary... Mary McGillen... I just got a phone call... " she shook her head, obviously confused. "A man called and said, I should go outside and tell Agent Booth he should have quit the game as ordered... I... I thought somebody had dialled the wrong number or so... but then the man said my name and that I should not let the FBI wait too long..." 

Booth closed his eyes. His feeling had not betrayed him - of course it had been a trap.

He looked at the girl and asked "How old are you? Are you alone at home?" "14... but I know... I look younger. Dad is not here, he is at the police station... somebody stole our car, you know... we just came back from camping ..." She pointed towards the motorhome in front of the house. "... and Dad's BMW was gone..."

Booth cursed under his breath. 'These bastards are sadistic ... and clever.' He thought.  
"What is the name of your horse, Mary?"

Her eyes widened... "How do you know I have got a horse? It's not even here!"

"I am sorry, Mary, but I can not talk to you about ongoing investigations... but... I really need to know where your horse is and who has been tending it while you were camping with your dad!" Booth said.

Mary told him about the farm where her horse was. "I think Norah, the owner's wife, is looking after Penny... but sometimes there are volunteers too" she shrugged.

Booth nodded. "Thank you, Mary."

After hanging up Angela screamed „Sadistic son of a btch!"  
"What!" Zach jumped at the sound of her voice.  
"That was Booth... they were just playing with us... these bastards ... horses, BMWs ... just faked hints to let us play our part in the game..."

"Angela, please, calm down and explain what happened!" Hodgins said, covering her hand with his.

Angela closed her eyes and counted to ten... then she informed the Squints about what Booth had told her before.

Brennan's eye lids were heavy, but she managed to lift them slightly. She noticed that her face hurt and felt something warm and sticky on her cheek. She knew it was blood.

When she looked around she found herself in the same old cellar – alone. She could only hope Tammy had made it and had been able to escape.

She tried to find out how bad he had hit her. No broken bones, but some bruises on her arms. By the pain that came over her after touching her face she knew it had to look terrible... but she was alive and as long as she was alive she would not give up.

„Agent Booth! Agent Booth!" Booth had just opened the door of his SUV, when he heard someone shouting his name.

He turned around. A young female agent he vaguely recognised came over to him, talking into her cell phone.

"Agent Booth, the police ... they found Tamara Greene. It seems she was able to escape...she mentioned your name."

Booth grabbed the cell phone she offered him. "Agent Booth, here's Officer Simmons. We have Tamara Greene here... she says she has to talk to you."


	25. Chapter 25

Chapter 25  
... bruised ...

Booth swallowed hard, hearing the words of Officer Simmons. Then he managed to utter "Is she okay... I mean not...?"

"Some bruises but nothing serious. I know what you mean, but she's okay. She said Dr. Brennan saved her... and made it possible for her to escape." Simmons answered.

Booth closed his eyes and relieve swept over him. 'She's alive' he thought.

"Agent Booth, I think you should talk to Miss Greene. We know, where they are with Dr. Brennan, but I think we have to react quickly or they will be on their way. Miss Greene could give you information about the house. We already have some people there to observe it, but..."

"We'll go in there with our team. I'll inform Agent O'Brian. Where are you?" Booth interrupted. 'No time to loose' he thought.

Officer Simmons told him where they were and Booth and the other FBI agents left McGillen's farm, leaving back only two agents to wait for Mary's father and explain everything. While they were driving Booth called Angela to keep the Squints informed.

Fifteen minutes later Officer Simmons led Booth and O'Brian to Tamara Greene. She was sitting in an ambulance car, wrapped up in a blanket and holding a cup of tea. She looked small and fragile, but her eyes showed no fear.

"Hi, Tamara, I am Agent Booth, this is Agent O'Brian. I am Dr. Brennan's partner"

Tammy cocked her head thoughtfully, then asked „Partner? But I thought she was working with old bones?" Booth nodded "That's right, but sometimes we need her to help us on current cases too... Tamara, could you please tell me what happened?"

She took in a deep breath, then started to explain. He told him how two men kidnapped her and how she had feared they would spot her little brother in the tree house. Then they had blindfolded her, so she could not see, where they were driving. After what seemed hours they finally reached their destination and one of the men had brought her to the cellar where she had met Dr. Brennan.  
"She was... very kind. We have been talking most of the time... I don't know how long I was there... We slept a little. Tempe said I'll need my strength... Then the man came. He said it was his house... he said something about not being like the other two man, that he wants grown-up women... " At this part Booth closed his eyes. "... and then she hit him ... he forgot to close the door and she told me to run and inform Agent Booth of the FBI... I made it out of the house... nobody there, so it was easy..." Suddenly her eyes were filled with tears. "The man... he beat her... I hope she is not hurt... She was so kind..." she stammered.

"It's okay, Tamara. We'll get her out. Just tell us more about the house, okay?" O'Brian gently asked her, knowing that Booth was still struggling to keep the professional appearance.

Tamara told them about the cellar and the staircase that led into the kitchen, where she had found a backdoor to escape. "It is a farm... you know. No houses nearby... I thought if I stay on the road, they are going to see me! So I ran through the fields and then I found this house and Mrs. Pickley here... and she called the police for me... although I told her to call the FBI!" Tammy frowned.

Booth cleared his throat, then said "Thank you Tamara... you really are a brave girl. Officer Simmons and his collegues will take you to your parents now, is that okay?"  
She nodded, smiling at the thought of seeing her parents again, but then her face went serious again. "Will I meet Tempe again?"

Booth gave her a wry smile "I hope so, I really hope so..."

Officer Simmons interrupted "Come, Tammy... let's go... don't you want a ride in a police car?" he offered her his arm, playing the perfect gentleman for a lady and she smiled. "Yeah, my little brother is going to be soooo jealous!"

When they had left, O'Brian looked at Booth. "It's been about an hour now, since Tamara has left the farm... ten minutes, running through the fields... it would have been less time, if Mrs. Pickley had believed the girl and called us immediately, but I guess she did not want to call the FBI because of a girl's story..."

Booth only nodded. In his head the words "he beat her... I hope she is not hurt" where still twirling.

"Agent O'Brian?" a young female agent was approaching them "The team is now ready!"

"Okay... let's go!" O'Brian and Booth turned to follow the other agents.   
'God, I hope she is there... and alive' Booth thought.

30 minutes earlier

Brennan was awake, but she'd rather be sleeping... the pain from the bruises and the laceration on her face were always there, but bearable... but after Tammy's company being alone seemed to be even more hopeless than before.

She sighed and tried to will herself back to sleep, but when she heard loud voices from above she concentrated to overhear the argument.

She could identify the voices of Archibald Marks and Robert Spencer... the third voice had to be the man that had hit her. They were quarrelling, the voices were loud enough to make out every word.

"... are you an idiot? I mean... leaving the door open... why did you even go there? I told you not to open the door!" this was Marks' voice.

"...this is my house...!" the unknown man interrupted.

"...and the girl could escape because you are stupid!" Marks shouted. "Rob... I told you... don't trust anybody. I wanted the girl... she belonged to me! I wanted her to make friends with Brennan... It would have been the greatest satisfaction to have her ... and hurt the woman with it... instead that idiot left the door open!"

"...Archie, calm down, we have to leave..." Spencer wanted to interrupt.

"... hey... don't call me an idiot... NOT IN MY HOUSE!" the other man's voice was furious.

"... idiot!" Brennan heard Marks scream, then she heard rumble and noise from above. It sounded as if they were fighting but suddenly everything went silent.

"...GOD! Arch, what have you done? He... He is dead!" Spencer shouted panicked. "You killed him!" 

"... he lost my little toy, he deserved it!" Marks voice came nearer, Brennan heard his footsteps on the stair.

She decided her best chance was to pretend to be unconscious and maybe surprise them, but her spirits were low. 'I am too weak..., but ...Tammy made it out...that's good... at least she is going to survive...' she thought.

Then somebody opened the door.


	26. Chapter 26

Chapter 26  
... he knows I am awake ...

Marks looked at Brennan's figure. She seemed to be unconscious, which was not surprising. Rob's stupid friend had hit her hard. Her face was already swollen and blood trickled from a wound on her forehead. He shook his head. All his plans ruined by an amateur. He had wanted to rape the girl right in front of Brennan's eyes. He licked his lips, the mere thought of it made him grin. It would have been a torture for Brennan and the girl.

But Rob's farmer friend had made an idiotic mistake. Leaving the door open... he shook his head.

"Archie... we have to leave... I bet the Feds are going to be here soon... We have to go!" his cousin was yelling.

Marks smiled. Robert did not know he had not only killed the farmer, but also his annoying wife, Norah. She had been nagging all the time, so he had locked her up in the bedroom. The woman had been as stupid as her husband... she tried to attack him, screaming frantically "You cant lock me up, this is my house!"

So he had pushed her and her head had hit a chair. He knew she was dead as soon as he had heard the awful noise of the breaking neck. An accident...he shrugged. He had gone too far to care.

Brennan tried to keep herself calm and her breathing deep and steady. Somebody had entered the room, but was standing in the doorframe, not moving. It was annoying. After some time she heard Spencer's voice from above.

"Archie... we have to leave... I bet the Feds are going to be here soon... We have to go!"

'The other man is dead... so this has to be Marks' Brennan thought and for an instant she forgot to breath. She heard Marks chuckle. 'Sht... he knows I am awake'

"Now, now, Temperance, what a clever girl... you thought you could fool me by playing dead?" his voice was full of sarcasm. She opened her eyes and they met his.

"Arch... what are you doing? We don't have time to play... Come on... we have to go!" Spencer was running down the staircase.

Marks frowned. He knew his cousin was right and that was something he hated.

"We'll meet again, Temperance..." he said, then both men left the room. Marks closed the door and she heard the key turn as he locked it. "You can only hope Rob is right, Temperance... if the Feds are not going to find you, you'll die ... and nobody will know." Then he was gone. She heard the two men running up the staircase and rumbling around in the room above her.

She sighed and got up to her feet. She rattled at the door, but she knew she could never open it... especially not in her recent condition.

Her knees felt wobbly and she knew she had a light concussion. 'They are going to find me soon...' she told herself, she let herself sink to the floor, leaning against the wall. No water, no food. 'Booth... you have to find me...' she thought. Then she heard gun shots.

When Booth, O'Brian and the team reached the farm, everything seemed to be calm.  
In fact too calm. They found the two policemen, that had been observing the house, both shot. 'With my gun" Booth thought and swallowed hard. One of the two policemen was still alive, but unconscious.

They called for an ambulance, then O'Brian ordered five agents to investigate the house with Booth. The others explored the area in groups, searching for Spencer and Marks, although they did not believe they would find them.

Booth carefully opened the door and quietly they entered the house. Booth gesticulated towards three agents to go upstairs to make sure nobody was hiding there. The other two agents followed him. After clearing all rooms they finally entered the kitchen, where they found a body in a puddle of blood, a knife still stuck in the chest.  
"Alexander Peterson, the owner" one agent said. Another agent entered the kitchen. "The first floor is safe. We found the wife... Norah Peterson ... she is dead, broken neck." Booth nodded.

He remembered what Tammy had said about the staircase to the cellar and opened a small door. Slowly he went down, avoiding every noise. The cellar was dark, but he could see three doors. Through the crack of one door shimmered light. Closing his eyes he prayed 'Let her be inside... let her be alive.' He stepped forward and turned the key.


	27. Chapter 27

Chapter 27  
... a hallucination? ...

Brennan had heard the footsteps on the staircase,... they had been hardly audible, but still she was aware somebody was walking down and coming near the door. If she had been in better condition she would have grabbed one of the folding chairs to attack, in case it was Marks or Spencer was returníng. But in her recent condition she could do nothing but watch the door. 

She heard the key turn in the lock, her eyes fixed on the door she waited.

Booth slowly opened the door and blinked against the light of the single light bulb.  
Then he saw her and he rushed forward "Bones!" and kneeled down beside her.

She looked at him, her face was swollen and red, already partially turning purple, her hair was in a mess and her clothes were dirty. But still - seeing she was alive and recognized him was the most beautiful thing for him.

"Booth?" she asked. "I am here, Bones." he murmured.  
She sighed "Touch me... I want to make sure this is no hallucination..." He smiled, then gently took her hand in his. It felt cold and sweaty, so he lifted it to his mouth and warmed it with his breath, then he kissed her fingers.

She smiled weakly "Wow... you are real." He nodded, not knowing what to say, and watched her more closely. Her face looked like someone had punched her like mad. She even had a wound on her forehead, but the bleeding had stopped.

Brennan watched Booth's reaction. He saw his eyes were brimming with tears. "Does it look that terrible?" she asked. He tried to smile, but he did not succeed.  
"You are alive... that's all that counts..." he said in a low voice. "It is my fault... all this... I should have known better... I left you alone and then they got you... I should have been there to protect you." A tear found its way down his cheek and she lifted her hand and wiped it away. "Don't be silly, Booth... it's not your fault and it's not my fault. It just happened." She stated.

"I thought I had lost you..." he murmured. "...but still I hoped to find you."  
"And you found me... I knew you would never give up... I trust you." She answered, her voice trembling. She felt how the adrenaline that had kept her awake slowly left and she knew she was soon going to faint. "Tammy?" she asked.  
"She made it out... she is already back at home, I think." Booth said, gently rubbing the back of her hand.

"Booth..." he voice was so low he had to lean closer to hear the words she whispered. "I love you" she managed to utter, then she closed her eyes. He looked down at her unconscious face and said: "I love you too." He placed a soft kiss on her lips, then lifted her up and carried her upstairs.


	28. Chapter 28

Chapter 28  
... back again ...

Hodgins was examining something his colleagues called "dirt"... he hated the word dirt... dirt could be anything... dust, ash, soil... He was just identifying it as soil, containing suprisingly high amouts of magnesium, as a loud squeal of Angela startled him.

He spun around, then spotted his girlfriend. Her face said everything, but still she screamed: "Bren – they found her. Booth found her! She's okay... I mean she's hurt, but not that bad.. they are taking her to hospital, but it's just so... wohoo!" She jumped up and down like a rubber ball and Hodgins grinned. He was relieved to hear that Dr. Brennan was alive, but what made him even more happy was to see Angela dancing and jumping around. He loved to hear her laughing.

She flung her arms around his neck and said: "Isn't that good news?" "Yes, that's good news" Hodgins agreed and quickly kissed her.

After some time she pulled back and asked, "What where you doing?" Looking at the petri dish in front of him she asked "Is that dirt?"

Hodgins frowned "Don't spoil the moment, Angela!"

Brennan woke hours later. She felt a bit dizzy and when she opened her eyes it took a moment until she realised she was in hospital. She looked down to find out why her hand felt that warm and saw Booth's hand covering hers. He was sitting in a chair beside her bed, sleeping. She smiled and sighed. She had never thought she could feel so much tenderness for a man. But since it was Booth, everything was possible. At the sound of her sigh, Booth opened his eyes.

"Hello, sleepy head." He smiled.  
"Sleepy head? Last time you called me Sleeping Beauty... but I guess my face looks horrible... so..." He stopped her by placing a kiss on her lips. "You are beautiful." he said.  
"... and colourful." He added in a low murmur, smirking a bit.

She smiled back at him. It was not important how she looked like... he was there, holding her hand and she was satisfied with that. "How come you always end up in hospital?" he asked her. She shrugged. "I don't know... you would call it bad luck, I guess?"

That moment somebody entered the room, waiting for something like a millisecond between knocking an opening the door.

"Sweetie!" Angela's voice was loud and echoed in her concussion-affected head, causing cascades of pain. Brennan suppressed a frown and looked at Angela, gripping Booth's hand tighter. "You are not going anywhere" she murmured, knowing that Booth would have left them for their "girl's talk". But since her head was aching she was not willing to tell the whole story alone.

Especially the part about kissing in the office... no way such negligible things like getting kidnapped or having a concussion would let Angela forget about their conversation in Brennan's office. Booth sighed, caressing the back of her hand with his thumb.

"Hi Ange..." Brennan said, smiling at her best friend. "Hi, Angela" Booth greeted.  
"Oh, Bren... I am so glad... We all feared... but you are back. I am so happy. How are you?" Angela took the chair on the other side of Brennan's bed, smiling broadly as she spotted the entwined fingers of Booth and her best friend.

"... they said I have a concussion. I believe them, my head really hurts... and my face. I don't want to look at it." Brennan answered. Angela took Brennan's right hand in hers and said "It's not that bad. I mean okay, it's got more colours than it should, but at least no broken bones, hm? Sooooo... I think I know nearly everything now... how you have been kidnapped and how they played their game with Booth and us, but..."  
Brennan interrupted her. "Played with you?" She looked at Booth. "What did they do?"

Booth cleared his throat and then told her about Linda Hennessy and Mary McGillen. Brennan could only guess how desperate he had felt, when he had found Linda Hennessy wearing her coat only to find out it wasn't her. "I ... I didn't know... they told me about playing games and everything... but ... they are really sick. Marks... he wanted to hurt Tammy ... he wanted me to watch it. I overheard that, when they were quarrelling... He killed the man... it was not Spencer." She murmured.

Booth nodded. "We know. We found his fingerprints on the knife. We think he murdered the wife too... maybe it was an accident, but we are not sure. Her neck was broken."

Brennan closed her eyes. It had been a very narrow escape... once more. "Spencer and Marks... they are gone? Not arrested?" she asked, although she already knew the answer. "Gone... we hope to find them soon, but ... you still need protection, Bones... it's too dangerous." Booth watched her seriously.

She gave him a wry smile and simply said. "I know."

His eyes widened in surprise "No arguing?" Brennan shook her head. "I definitely need to be protected." She said, suppressing a smile.

Angela laughed. "Yes, what a pity... you are forced to stay near her, Booth... but I guess you are willing to sacrifice your time?" She giggled and looked from Booth to Brennan.

Booth smiled mildly "I guess it will be bearable." "Bearable" Brennan muttered.

"I already have a pretty good idea about what you were doing in your office, Bren,... but I'd really like to have the details... first-hand... you know?" Angela winked.

"Uhm...Bones... I guess..." Booth tried to free his hand, but Brennan squeezed it hard. "You are not going to leave us to our girl's talk... I already told you, you are not going anywhere!" She stated.

"I'd never thought you favoured bossy women, Agent Booth." Cullen was standing in the doorframe.  
Booth opened his mouth to explain the situation, but Cullen stopped him  
"There is nothing to explain. It was obvious that sooner or later your relationship would... change... As Dr. Brennan is not FBI, there is nothing I can do about it, although I would appreciate to see you can keep it as professional as possible... otherwise we will have to find another partner for Dr. Brennan. I think I made myself clear?"

"Yes, sir" Booth said. Brennan nodded. "Miss Montenegro... I don't think there is much you can do about that...?" Cullen said, clearly amused by Angela's nods.

Angela smiled widely "Jack and I will try to be a good example for them."

Booth and Brennan were shaking with laughter. "You... a good example for being professional? No way!" Booth exclaimed, remembering some certain situations...

Cullen cleared his throat. "I guess I should leave now... I just wanted to inform you, that Dr. Robert Spencer has been arrested... but we are still searching for Archibald Marks. It seems Spencer and Marks had an argument about the necessity of killing the Petersons and then separated.  
Get well soon, Dr. Brennan... and Agent Booth... I am confident you can write your reports at home... I expect you to keep Dr. Brennan safe until Marks is arrested... I assume this is in your interest " He left.

"Wow... he took that quite... calmly." Angela said. "So you two are now a couple, I mean, officially?" 

Brennan and Booth answered in unison "Yes."

Angela grinned from ear to ear. "Bren... I KNEW IT... I told you for months... I knew you are meant for each other..."

Brennan rolled her eyes "How long will you reproach me for that?" she asked.

Angela giggled. "I guess as long as I remember... since I have a good memory... forever. But now I'll leave you two alone.. And when you take her home today, Booth, let her get some rest, okay?... she needs it... Bye, sweetie! Bye, Booth." Still giggling she left the room.

Booth and Brennan looked at each other. "The doctors said you could take me home today?" He shook his head. "They did not say anything about taking you home..."  
"If Angela says you'll take me home today...don't question it. They will come and say I can leave and you'll take me home." Brennan smiled.

"Home?" he asked.  
"Home. Your apartment has less windows and only few people will know I am there... a rational choice" she said teasingly and they laughed. "And I know my apartment better." He added, then he moved closer and kissed her.


	29. Chapter 29

Chapter 29  
... going home ...

Hours later Brennan shook her head. "No wheelchair this time, Booth... No way!"  
Booth smiled at her, then gave in "Okay, okay. You win... but it was worth a try!"

He put his arm around her waist and stopped her protest by saying: "You said no wheelchair... you did not say: no physical contact." He flashed her his charm smile and she could – as always – not resist. "Okay" she returned.  
To be honest she simply loved that he touched her like that, supporting her. And now they were finally leaving the hospital – as Angela had told them. They would have some days off work together... in his apartment. The mere thought of it made her heart jump... she had to smile when she recalled the last time they had left the hospital... She had been nervous and upset. Now all that was gone... his touch, his nearness...it made her happy. It felt, like loving him and knowing he loved her back, was making her a whole person... that without it she had been not...complete. 'Yes' she thought, looking at his face 'He makes me complete.'

"The sound of the wheels in your head is deafening, Bones." He said smiling down at her.  
"That is not possible... no wheels in the head!" Brennan immediately corrected.  
"Smart ass " he shot back, but his voice was full of love and tenderness.

"What were you thinking about?" he asked her, while they were in the elevator.  
It was relieving to be able to be honest about her thoughts. "I thought, that I am feeling complete now... with you... I never felt that good before." She whispered.

His eyes widened in astonishment, but she could see that her words had touched him.  
"I am feeling the same, you know..." Booth lifted her chin with his right hand and looking at her seriously he said "I love you, Temperance." Then he kissed her deeply, careful not to touch her bruises.

That moment the elevator doors opened and a voice said: "Temperance, ...Booth?.. . what...what are you doing?" Brennan's eyes widened at the sound of the voice, then she turned around and asked. "What are YOU doing here?"

Sully shrugged. "I ... I heard you are in hospital... It took me some time, but I came here to visit you. I thought you might be out of hospital by now, but they told me you were here. What happened to your face? I thought you had some kind of flu?" his voice sounded confused, but he shot Booth an angry look... if looks could kill, Booth would have been dead in an instant. Booth smiled weakly. If Sully wanted to fight for Bones, Booth would fight harder.

"Obviously somebody beat me... This is the second time I am in hospital... the first time it was flu." Brennan started to explain.

"Second time? How could that happen?" another angry look made clear he was blaming Booth for not protecting her properly.

"Sully... I don't want to explain all that right now... why did you come? We are not together anymore... you left me, remember? What did you think... that you can come back when I am weak and in hospital to play the hero for me and regain my love?" Brennan snapped.

Sully eyed Booth and shot back "Apparently somebody else is already playing that role!"

Booth just placed a hand on Brennan's shoulder... a simple, wordless statement.

"What is this, Temperance? Did you just throw yourself in his arms after I left?" Sully spat out.

"You have no right to say something like that! Do you think you left me miserable? You hurt me, when you left, but I got over it.  
Or do you think I am the kind of woman that simply jumps from one man to another? I am not. I love Booth... we just found out about our feelings... although somehow I always knew it... and HE is there for me... he is always there, when I need him... I am sorry, Sully... but we never had what I am having with him... " Brennan stated. Booth had to smile at the sound of her words.

"Fine!" Sully shouted, tossing the flowers he had been holding away. "Don't expect me to give you my congratulations."

"I don't need them. I don't need you. YOU left ME, remember, Sully? Go back to wherever you came from and don't come back again!" her voice was steady, but Booth sensed that she was trembling. He knew she was still a bit groggy and he decided that it had been enough.

"Come on, Bones... I have to get you home... you should rest a bit." He said and she simply nodded. They slowly left without another word, Booth supporting her. He felt Sully's looks on his back.

"I could tell Cullen about that... he won't appreciate it!" Sully threatened.

"Feel free to do so... he already knows it... so don't expect him to be surprised" Booth simply answered, without looking back. "Bye, Sully."

Sully just stood there and watched them as they left.


	30. Chapter 30

Chapter 30  
... endorphins ...

It was only a short drive from the hospital to Booth's apartment, but Brennan mysteriously had managed to fall asleep. As Booth turned off the engine she groaned in her sleep, but did not wake. He simply sat there and watched her. Within the last two weeks he had spent a lot of time watching her sleep and he had decided she was looking beautiful. Of course, she always was beautiful, but sleep made her face somehow... softer... not concentrated and thoughtful, but relaxed.

He could have carried her upstairs, but on the other side he decided he had spent too much time with a sleeping Bones... He reached over to her and gently jogged her shoulder "Bones... wake up! Come on.."  
She only stirred and groaned once more, so he decided to wake her with a kiss.  
As his lips touched hers he felt how much he longed for more than only kissing... but he could wait, he could be patient... for her he could do almost everything.

Brennan woke because Booth was nudging her gently on the shoulder, but she had to stay as she was for a moment,... she had been dreaming about him and Sully first debating, than suddenly both of them had dung forks and they started duelling each other... with dung forks... both of them deliciously shirtless. She had to suppress a smile... even HER dreams could not be thoroughly rational. She heard Booth move nearer and then his lips covered hers. She immediately responded, knowing she wanted to do more than just kissing him. Dreaming of a shirtless Booth made her wonder how it would feel to touch his body.

He was surprised how quickly she woke and how she deepened the first soft kiss into something much more passionate. After some time he pulled back and said breathlessly: "Wow... but... doesn't that hurt?" he pointed towards the bruises that covered her cheeks and the swollen eye. He did not want to hurt her ... she had been hurt too much already.

She shook her head. "Endorphins are pretty good pain killers." She answered, smiling lustily.

"Are they really?" he whispered with a husky voice, then he placed a soft kiss on her forehead. "Come,... let's go inside."

When Booth closed the apartment door behind them, she could not resist it any longer. She flung her arms around his neck and taking him absolutely by surprise he nearly lost balance as she kissed him passionately. With his back against the door he kissed her back, knowing he would have to stop soon or he would not be able to stop anymore.

Her hands started to unbutton his shirt as he took them in his and looked at her seriously. "I want you, Temperance... but ... you had so much to go through and you are still hurt... I don't want to hurt you again... if you want to wait, I understand."

"No... you wont hurt me... I already told you... endorphins are good pain killers... just try to keep my endorphin level high, okay?" she whispered in his ear.

"Oh... I will... I promise, I will..." he shuddered with pleasure as she started to roam her hands over his now bare chest. He really wanted to carry her to the bedroom... really. But they did not make it there...

Hours later Booth woke alone on his couch, still feeling the fading warmth of her body next to him. 'Where is she?' he thought and looked around. He heard something that startled him... sobs. He immediately rose and tried to find out where the muffled sound came from. He finally found her in the bathroom, sitting on the closed toilet, wrapped up in a towel, her hair still wet.

"Temperance?" he said and came closer to her. She looked up to him, quickly wiping her eyes. "What is it... why are you crying?" Booth murmured, softly caressing her hair with his right hand. She shook her head "It's nothing."

"Oh... come on, Temperance... women always say it's nothing... You don't have to tell me, but you know I am there for you... no matter what happens... you can share everything with me." He offered her his hand and pulled her to her feet and into a tight embrace.

She sighed... his arms around her were strong and protective.

"It's just...I had a dream about Marks again... I felt like a little girl again and then I saw Tammy... and I saw what he was doing to her... I mean what he wanted to do. He told me he wanted to hurt her in front of my eyes... and he placed that picture in my head and... I just can't get rid of him." She sobbed.

"That's okay, Bones... things like that take time. You have feelings just like anybody else... it is normal to have nightmares after what happened to you... if you need me to hold you, just wake me... don't go away, I am there for you." He whispered in her ear.

"I...I felt so dirty... I had to wash it off." She said and he nodded. "Just don't isolate yourself, Temperance,... you are not alone, okay?" he lifted her chin and looked in her pale blue eyes. "You understand, Bones?" She smiled weakly, then she said. "I don't deserve you, Booth." He shook his head "No... you would deserve a better person than me, Temperance,... but here we are and I hope I'll do..." he smirked.


	31. Chapter 31

Chapter 31  
... hungry? ...

Brennan woke once more in Booth's bed... but this time she did smell Booth because he was next to her. In fact he was holding her, one arm around her waist. She enjoyed the feeling of his strong arms holding her more than she would ever admit. She was a strong woman, but still sometimes it felt good to be the weak one.  
She felt his warm breath touching her neck and she shuddered with pleasure. The feeling of warm breath was replaced by the feeling of soft kisses. She turned – careful not to put too much pressure on her bruises – to face him.

He kissed her on the cheek. "Good morning" he whispered in her ear. "Good morning" she answered in a low murmur. His look had just caught her breath... his hair was in a mess and he still looked a bit tired, but his brown eyes were full of...love.  
'I never thought a man could look at me that way' she mused, still surprised by the sensational feelings she had for Booth and knowing he had the same feelings for her.

"What are you thinking about?" Booth's voice interrupted her thoughts.  
"I... was thinking how much I enjoy waking up with you." She said, then she placed a soft kiss on his forehead. "Thank you for being there for me, Booth."

"Anytime, Bones... and I like waking up with you too..." he winked at her. Then his stomach rumbled audibly and he smiled. "Hungry?" she asked teasingly. "What kind of hunger do you mean?" he shot back and let his free hand roam over her body. She laughed "I was talking about the same kind of hunger your stomach was talking about... but if you are thinking of a bit morning exercise..." she had to leave the sentence unfinished, because his lips were occupying hers.

Breakfast had to wait...

An hour later they were sitting at the table, Booth poured coffee for them and they enjoyed their breakfast when his cell phone rang.

He answered it. "Booth."  
"Hi, Booth, this is Angela, how is Bren? She does not answer her phone..."  
"She's fine... I guess we just overheard it..."  
"Oh... you've been busy then?" he heard Angela ask. "Am I interrupting something?"  
"Only breakfast, Angela" he gave back "Wait, I'll pass you on to Bones."  
"Brennan."  
"Hi, sweetie! Mhm... does he ALWAYS call you Bones? I mean in some certain kind of situations ... " Angela asked curiously.  
"Ange, ...really... that's none of your business, you know? Why are you calling anyway?" Brennan asked.  
"Sweetie, I just wanted to know if you are alright... " Angela's words could not hide that there was something else behind them.  
"What is it, Angela... Come on, tell me." Brennan did not have Angela's supernatural senses regarding the feelings of other people, but she knew Angela well enough to know something was wrong.

"Bren... I just wanted to tell you... I've been watching TV ... and they reported that a girl has been kidnapped... Bren, it's Tammy... It must have been Marks of course... Tammy was at home alone with her mother and Marks somehow managed to get in... he beat the mother unconscious and took Tammy with him... I had to tell you before you hear it in the radio or something... I am sorry." Brennan sat there the phone in her hand, motionless and unable to speak.

"Bones?" Booth touched her hand. "Bones?" She did not move, but her eyes filled with tears. Gently Booth removed her fingers from the phone and yelled into it "Angela... what the hell did you tell her?"

"I am sorry, Booth, really... but I had to... she might have heard it on the radio or so..." Angela told him what she had told Brennan before.  
Booth swallowed hard as he thought of the nice brown-haired girl again in Marks' power. "Okay... Angela. I'll call you later" he said and hung up. Then he turned towards Brennan and took her cold hands in his. "Bones?" She did not react.

"Temperance!" As he called out her name she sobbed and the tears began to stream down her face. He moved closer and hugged her, stroking her hair, murmuring "It's okay, Temperance... "

"...what I dreamed last night..." she sobbed "... he really is going to do it... or maybe he already has done it... he took Tammy because he knew he could hurt me with that even more than by taking another girl..." Suddenly he felt her stiffen in his arms and when she spoke again her voice sounded steady "We have to find him and help Tammy."

"But, Bones, you have to..." "No!" she yelled. "We will find that sick bastard!" And without further ado she went to her bag, which was still standing near the door, to get her clothes.

Booth went after her, trying to stop her, but she shook her head. "Booth, try to understand. I know him better than anyone else... why not use my knowledge to catch that ... that..." she clenched her fists. 

He understood that nobody or nothing could change her mind and finally gave in. "Okay... BUT, Bones, we'll get in touch with the agents working on Tammy's kidnapping, okay? We are not going out there on a wild hunt!"

She nodded and they quickly got dressed. On their way to the FBI Booth called Agent O'Brian to find out who was working on the case.


	32. Chapter 32

Chapter 32  
... Tammy ...

Earlier...

Tammy could not believe this was happening to her. She had been at home with her mother, playing cards, waiting for her dad and her brother to come back from the supermarket. They did not want to go out with her, but also they won't leave her alone at home. That's why her mum had been there, fussing around all the time, until Tammy had told her to sit down and play cards with her.

The whole family was avoiding to talk about the kidnapping,... they treated her as if she was made of glass. She had asked her mother to go to the hospital to visit Tempe, but her parents had refused. "You will stay at home, where it is safe." Her father had said.

Tammy almost had to laugh, because home had not been safe at all. She remembered how Marks had got in, ridiculously easy as it had been.  
The doorbell... her mother asking who was there... he had said something about a map and asking for the way... the voice... the voice... she knew it was him, but her mother had already opened the door. Tammy sobbed as she recalled how Marks had beat her mother unconscious using a car jack. She so hoped that her mum was only unconscious, not dead... she still could see the blood.

And now she was lying in the back of the van, fettered and gagged. He surely had stolen the car, just as he had done it before. She had read it in a newspaper she had managed to sneak out of her dad's room. 'Why... why does this happen to me?' she asked herself over and over... but she did not find an answer. Her eyes were brimming with tears. She knew that this time nobody was going to be there to save her.

Two hours after the kidnapping…

Booth, Agent O'Brian and Officer Malucci were discussing whether Bones should be part of the investigations or not. Bones was standing nearby, impatiently tapping with her foot.  
After watching them for some time she went over to them, interrupting Officer Malucci:  
"I don't care what you are saying. I am your best chance go get that sick bastard. He could have kidnapped any other girl... the only reason he took Tammy is to hurt me with it. I am already in all that, so don't discuss if I should be involved, okay?"

Officer Malucci's eyes widened at the bossy sound of her voice: "Wow... is she always like that?" he asked Booth. "You have no idea." Booth smiled, then placed a hand on Brennan's shoulder "Calm down, Bones... we already agreed on that. "

"And what are you talking about then?" she asked, stunned. "Officer Malucci told us that a neighbour has watched a part of the scene. He did not pay too much attention first, because Marks came with a van of a software fault clearing service... but he heard a scream and then saw Marks dragging Tamara out of the house. He wrote down the number and described the van. He also found Mrs. Greene and called the ambulance."

Malucci's phone rang and he answered it... he listened for some time, then said. "Yes. Thank you." He looked at the others, then said: "They just found the van... approximately ten miles south from here... the found a parcel addressed to you, Dr. Brennan. They did not open it, I assume you want your people to do that, Agents?"

Booth nodded, watching Brennan searching for a reaction, but she kept herself professional. "Come on" she said "No time to loose."

Earlier...

The car had stopped. Tammy was full of fear. She did not know what was going to happen now. 'Is he going to hurt me?' she asked herself, when he opened the backdoor of the van. He had a Polaroid camera and she squinted against the flash, when he took a picture. "Out!" he barked and she tried to get to her feet to obey him.

She stumbled out of the van and he dragged her towards a dark limousine with tinted windows. He opened the backdoor and told her to get in and sit down. Again she tried to obey as fast as possible to give him no reason to hurt her. "Your hands" he commanded.  
She hesitated, so he simply grabbed her arm and pulled her fettered hand towards him, squeezing her arm hard. 

Suddenly he presented a knife... he ran it over the back of her left hand and she squealed, but the gag muffled it to low sound. "Shut up!" he grumbled. He held the pocket knife under her hand and some drops of blood were trickling down on it, until the blade was covered with it. Tears filled her eyes. She knew the cut on her hand was not that bad, but she had a notion he was going to hurt her more... and that he was going to take his time.

Finally he let go of her arm and slammed the door, then opened the trunk of the car. She could barely see him through the tinted windows, her vision blurred by her tears. He was walking over to the van again, carrying something that looked like a small parcel. After some time he returned and sat down at the driver's seat. He adjusted the mirror to be able to watch her all the time. "Now it's only you and me, my little girl."  
He laughed nastily and Tammy closed her eyes and started to pray.

Brennan, Booth and the others reached the scene. Marks had left the van in a wood near the main road. Brennan knew he had wanted them to find it, or he would have hidden it better. The whole place was crowded with police men and agents. One of the agents hurried towards O'Brian "Sir... another car has been parked here... but we did not find any marks so far. But we found some blood stains."  
Brennan swallowed hard at the sound of these words and tried to put aside all thoughts of Tammy.

"Where is the parcel?" O'Brian asked. "Inside the van... we did not open it, but after a short examination we are pretty sure there is nothing dangerous in it..." O'Brian nodded and they went over to the van. "Shall I open it for you, Bones?" Booth asked her. She shook her head "No... it's okay... he still wants to play his sick games. There won't be anything dangerous in it, just as the agent said already..."  
Quickly she tore it open. Inside she found a picture showing a fettered and gagged Tammy inside the van. Then she saw the pocket knife. The blade was covered with blood and she had to fight back the urge to throw up. There was something else: a note, reading

"Dear Temperance,

you are a lucky girl... your pet FBI agent found you. But I am not finished with you yet. Look who I have got here with me... isn't she a little beauty?  
She reminds me of you, Tempe. Even the names... Tempe – Tammy.

I am going to have so much fun with her... and I will share it with you, Temperance...   
and that will even be more fun..."

Brennan closed her eyes and passed the note on to Booth. He quickly read it then cursed "What a sick son of btch!" Brennan nodded, then said: "He is going to do it slowly, step by step... and he is going to contact me... share it with me... I guess he will send me pictures or something..." her voice was low and her face had lost its colour. "He is going to hurt her because of me."

"But it's not your fault, Bones!" Booth objected. She looked at him with her pale blue eyes that seemed to be oddly empty "Maybe... but that wont ease her pain or save her, will it?" With that she turned away.

"Bones" Booth grabbed her shoulder "It is not your fault... you are a victim too... don't you see that this is exactly what he wants you to do... to blame yourself."

"I know ... but still it hurts... she is only ten years old..." Brennan shook her head. "Oh... I hate him... really. I think I never hated anyone that much." Cold rage darkened her eyes.

"Then hate him if that's what it takes to make you stop blaming yourself... he sure deserves a lot more than just hatred... We are going to kick his ass, okay?"

Brennan nodded, still clenching her fists while looking at the picture. 'We are going to find you, Tammy...' she promised the girl in her thoughts.


	33. Chapter 33

Chapter 33  
... another cellar ...

He had removed her gag, but not the rope around her wrists. The cut on the back of her hand had stopped bleeding already.  
They had been driving for what seemed hours, but she had spotted the watch in the car and found out it had been only about thirty minutes from the place they switched cars to the house, where they finally stopped.

Marks had opened the garage and parked the car then he had closed the garage door before opening the door for her to get out the car. He had brought her to the cellar where she was now.  
In a cellar again..., but this one was a friendlier than the first one. A big table was standing in the middle of the room and the whole furniture – including a jukebox – made clear the cellar normally was used as a kind of party room. Now the room was dimly lit be the light that came through the single window near the ceiling.

Somewhere outside a dog was barking. Tammy sighed and sat down on one of the chairs. She remembered Tempe's words, when she had been kidnapped the first time  
"Try to sleep, Tammy... Whatever happens you will need your strength". She closed her eyes and tried to rest a bit.

Booth and Bones were driving to the lab with the few evidences they had. They would have to check, if the blood on the knife was Tammy's, but Bones already felt that it was hers. 'Gut feeling' She thought 'I never believed in that...'

Booth's cell phone rang and he answered "Booth" Brennan could not hear what the conversation was about, but when Booth looked at her, she saw a little spark of hope in his eyes.

"I told them to check for stolen cars. They found two that have been stolen not too far from where we found the van. Both stolen yesterday." Booth informed her, watching her.  
"Booth, keep your eyes on the road...we wont help her if we die in a car accident." Brennan told him.

Booth gave her a weak smile and forced his attention back to the traffic. He knew he was sometimes watching her too long and that he should be more concentrated on driving... but she was just so distracting, sitting there beside him...  
Her face was now wearing an expression he could not interpret.

"What are you thinking about, Bones?" he asked after some time of silence.

"I ... I was just remembering what you told me about McGillen. Spencer and Marks, they stole the car when nobody was at home, they were on vacation... I have an idea, Booth. What if Marks is hiding Tammy somewhere... in a house he broke in? The owners on vacation? That could be possible, he would consider it being safe... what do you think?" Brennan repeated her thoughts aloud.

"Yeah... That could be possible... but what are we going to do with that information? They are no records for people going on vacation... " Booth objected.

Bones only shrugged. "I just thought it would be possible... Of course it won't lead us anywhere."  
Booth shot her a quick side glance "But... Bones... it was a good idea... We could tell the police to keep us informed if there are reports on break-ins.. ... maybe we are lucky!"

Brennan nodded and answered "Yes, maybe." Despite her words, her voice sounded hopeless.

Tammy could not sleep – she was not surprised by that. The dog somewhere outside was still barking frantically and her fettered wrists were hurting more and more. While she listened to the barking dog she suddenly realised that if she was able to hear the dog, maybe somebody would hear her if she screamed. She moved closer to the window.

Of course there was still the risk that Marks would come back and hurt her. But on the other side the house had remained silent since he had left her and maybe he had gone away.

Then she heard the voice of a woman, even louder than the barking dog: "Rocky, stop it! Stupid dog, what's the problem with you?"  
Tammy decided that this was her best chance and started to shout: "HELP! I am here... Please help!" But the very same moment the dog had started to bark again.  
She heard the woman's voice again: "Come in, you stupid dog!"

Tears filled her eyes... she shouted once more, but there was no sound from outside anymore. Instead she heard something behind her. The sound of a key turning in a lock.  
'He heard me...he is coming back' she thought and the tears began to stream down her face.


	34. Chapter 34

Chapter 34  
... tears ...

When Brennan and Booth reached the Jeffersonian Angela, Hodgins and Zach were already waiting for them. Although it was a Saturday, they had come to the lab as fast as possible to help them solve the case.

"Hi... sweetie... how are you?" Angela whispered in Brennan's ear while hugging her gently. "It's okay, Ange... I just want to do my best to find Tammy... thank you for helping, guys!" she said to Hodgins and Zach after pulling back from Angela.

"No problem, Dr. Brennan." Hodgins said and Zach only nodded.

"Okay... Jack... there's some kind of dirt the FBI found at the scene... they think it might come from one of the tires of the car Marks used... the soil there was lighter and dry." Brennan handed the bag with the dirt over to Hodings. She was glad he had not started to complain about her using the term dirt... as he usually would have done.

"Zach... maybe you could help us find out if the blood on the blade of this knife matches Tammy Greene's?" Brennan asked him and he answered. "Yes, Dr. Brennan" as if he still was her student.

Angela studied Brennan's face... she knew Brennan struggled to hide her emotions. The truth was that she hid them very well... well enough to fool Zach or Hodgins, but not well enough to fool her best friend or Booth. They knew how hard it was for her to accept that Marks had taken Tammy because of her. 

Brennan abruptly turned away, fully aware of Booth and Angela watching her. She remembered how she had felt herself, as she had been eleven years old, the man about to rape her, telling her how much he would enjoy it. She could not suppress the trembling of her hands and that her eyes filled with tears again. She wondered where the strong woman she used to be had vanished to. She felt how two strong hands were placed on her shoulders and Booth directed her to her office, Angela following them.

Booth led her to the chair and she sat down, tears already streaming down her face.   
"Sweetie... we'll get him. We will catch him and he won't harm you or anybody else anymore... " Angela kneeled down beside her and took Brennan's cold hand in hers. "Bren, look at me. He tried to rape you, he tried to kill you, but he did not succeed.  
In the end he is going to get what he deserves... and there is no way out for him anymore... he killed Peterson and his wife and we can prove it! No way he is ever going to get out of prison!"

"Angela's right, Bones... Look, Bones... he would have kidnapped a girl anyway... but he is obsessed with the idea to hurt you. That's why he took Tammy... it gives us the chance to track him down... it would have been smarter to try to get away as fast as possible, leave the state... he makes mistakes, Bones... that's our chance!" Booth added, standing behind her, his hands still on her shoulders. 

Brennan nodded. Her head knew all that, her mind had figured it out, but still she could not stop the sobs and the tears. It was like crying it all out... all the pain. The pain of an eleven-year-old girl nearly being raped, the pain of a teenager losing his parents, the pain of an adult woman knowing that a girl she knew was going to be tortured and maybe raped.

After some time Booth kneeled down in front of her and pulled her into a tight embrace, stroking her hair and murmuring reassuring words into her ear. She did not know how long she was sitting there, weeping, but when finally she calmed down a bit Booth's shirt was soaked from her tears and Angela was gone.

Booth felt how she relaxed a bit in his arms and he loosened the embrace. She leaned back in her chair, wiping her eyes. Booth watched her, saying nothing.  
She sighed and gave him a wry smile: "Thank you... but now your shirt..." "Temperance... no problem." Booth interrupted her and gently took her hand in his.  
"Are you feeling better now?" He asked.

She nodded "Yes... I don't know why, but..."   
"You needed it... you had to let it all out... it helps." Booth simply said.

"Yes, it helps. Thank you, Booth... I feel... better now...  
and ready to work!" her voice was getting stronger with every word.

He placed a kiss on her forehead and said "That's my Bones." Slowly he got to his feet: "Man, kneeling is not exactly comfortable..." He feigned a hurt face and she had to smile. She loved that man...he could make her laugh,... but the most important thing was, that she knew he was there for her... always. That gave her confidence and strength.

And confidence and strength filled her voice when she said "Let's kick his ass!"

Angela saw Booth and Brennan coming out of her office. Her eyes were red and swollen, but her best friend seemed to have gathered her strength again. "Better now?" Angela asked and Brennan nodded.

"Okay... so Jack is nearly done with his analysis... Zach already confirmed that the blood on the knife is Tamara Greene's... he went to get us coffee..." she added, when she saw Brennan looking around. "... and I have this for you: the driver of the stolen van has been found. Marks forced him to stop his van this morning about one mile away from where he had hidden the car and where we found the van. He beat him unconscious... but a woman walking her dog found him... he just woke up at hospital ... And now there is the most interesting point: The man said Marks took his cell phone..."

"If it's not turned off we might be able to trace him!" Booth said. Angela nodded. "O'Brian is already checking this."

"So... we have to wait now?" Brennan asked.

"Dr. Brennan?" Zach arrived with the coffee and looked at Brennan's swollen and red eyes. "What happened? Have you been crying?"

"Zach! Could you please act as if you had a sense of tact?" Angela yelled at him and he almost dropped the tray.

"It's okay, Angela. Yes, Zach, I have been crying... But now I am fine." Brennan smiled at Booth and he retorted the smile.

"Oh... okay." Zach answered, not knowing what else to say.  
He handed them their coffee and nearly dropped the tray again, when Hodgins shouted: "Yeah... got it! Call me master of dirt!"

'I thought he hated the word dirt' Angela thought as they waited for Hodgins to explain what he had found out.


	35. Chapter 35

Chapter 35  
... praying ...

Tammy could not move. Only her wrists were bound, but her whole body was unable to move. The sound of the key turning in the lock had shocked her.

The door opened, closed again and then she heard footsteps approaching her.  
"Silly little girl" Marks whispered in her ear. She just stood there and with tears streaming down her face. "Do you think someone will come to your rescue?"

As he came even closer, she shuddered... his hand touched her shoulders and her neck and she suddenly felt sick. Relief swept over her, when he only gagged her again, but then he forced her to sit down on a chair. He took the rope off her wrists, but then used tape to fix them to the armrests.

Suddenly she saw something metallic in his hands and her eyes widened.

Hodgins looked at them, a self-satisfied grin on his face.  
"It is soil – of course... we already knew that. But there are also some grass seeds. Of course that would not help us... if this would have been a common species of the poaceae... but it's not. This seed is a new hybrid, bred from lolium perenne or Perennial Ryegrass and Agrostis stolonifera also known as Creeping Bentgrass... Agrostis stolonifera has been cultivated for the use at golf courses, especially for putting greens, whereas lolium perenne has been brought in to..."

"Jack... please... no lectures!" Angela interrupted and Hodgins nodded and continued with the short version after sipping a bit of his coffee.

"The new hybrid can not be purchased yet. It is still in the testing phase... there are only two testing fields and only one of the two resowed this week. So the car Marks stole has been near that testing field two days ago, because that day they the scientists did the sowing, or maybe later..."

Booth and Brennan looked at each other. 'No way this is a fake lead again' Brennan thought. 'Even Marks could not have known of that new hybrid'

"Where is the testing area?" Booth asked and Hodgins told them. "That's only a half an hour's drive from where the van was found!" Brennan exclaimed and Booth nodded.

Booth's cell phone rang. "Booth." After listening for some time he thanked the other person and hung up.

"The two cars that had been stolen ... one was used as escape vehicle on a bank robbery today. The other one had been stolen by the 15-year old neighbour of the family... he had a car-accident and got caught... So none of the two cars can be our grass-car." He summed up what the agent had told him.

Brennan sighed. 'One trace given, another one taken... ' she thought.

"So... I'll guess we could drive to that testing area... and snoop around a bit? Okay, Bones?" Booth wanted to keep her busy. He knew very well that their chances to find Tammy by coincidence were very low... since the area they had to visit was near a prospering settlement. Too many houses, too many neighbours, too much anonymity.

He knew Bones was fully aware of that too, but she did not object, but simply gave her approval by a single nod. So they left the squints, after thanking them for their help.

Booth reported what they had found out to O'Brian while they were driving.  
Brennan hoped that Hodgins' information on the testing area of the grass hybrid had been right. In fact, she did not only hope it... she prayed - to whom ever it may concern when an atheist is praying - once more... for Tammy.

Tammy's eyes followed every movement of Marks hand. He laughed nastily, while gently touching her hair. "No need to be scared my little toy. Not yet."

The sound of his voice made her want to throw up, but she was able to suppress the urge... since he had gagged her again she had no choice anyway.

She felt Marks doing something with her hair and heard the unmistakable sound of scissors. "Her hair had been shorter... I want you to look like her... What a pity I can do nothing about your eyes..." he mumbled.

She wondered what might be wrong with her eyes, but then she understood  
'The colour... of course... Tempe's eyes are blue. He wants me to be like her. But why?' she asked herself. She would not have dared to utter the question aloud, but the gag made it impossible anyway.

She closed her eyes, trying to think of something else. Tried to ignore the sound of the scissors and his heavy breathing when he touched her neck... more or less accidentally. He was going to dress her up and then... he was going to do something horrible... was going to hurt her. She knew it already... the only thing that was left for her, was to pray for a wonder and hope that God was listening. 


	36. Chapter 36

Chapter 36  
... neighbours ...

When Booth and Brennan arrived at the testing area they saw a scientist moving around, investigating and taking notes. The had agreed on starting with the houses nearest to the testing field. They wanted to walk around a bit, maybe ask some people if they had witnessed something extraordinary happening in their neighbourhood recently.

After an hour they had talked to many people, had knocked on many doors, but knew nothing new.

Suddenly they heard a woman scream "Rocky!" They turned around and spotted a woman chasing a dog. "Rocky... come here NOW! What's wrong with you. Rocky!"

The dog suddenly stopped at the fence, standing still as if petrified, then he snuffled and started to bark frantically, his gaze fixed on the neighbour's house.

"Rocky! Stop it... Stop it, I said!" The woman grabbed the collar of the dog and tried to pull him back from the fence, but the dog was strong enough to give her a good fight.

"Rocky... stop it...there is nobody, okay... they are not here" she shouted at the dog. Booth and Bones exchanged a look and Booth moved nearer, casually leaning on the fence. "Sorry... Miss. Could you answer me a question?" he showed his FBI badge.

"Uhm... yes... sorry... that stupid dog... I don't know, why he is barking all the time!" she shook her head and let loose of the dog to look at Booth's badge.

"Wow... FBI?" her eyes widened in surprise. "Yes... I am agent Booth, this is my partner Dr. Brennan" The woman nodded and said: "Amanda Robbins... what is it you wanted to know?" She looked at them curiously.

"Well... obviously we could not overhear the barking dog." Same dog now was whining and scratching the fence now. "And we heard you saying that the neighbours were not here... are they on vacation?" Miss Robbins nodded "Yeah...gone for two weeks... I don't know where they are... we do not really have a good relationship. They have a cat – you know... and Rocky likes cats... especially chasing cats. The cat is over there at Mrs. Haverson's now..." she pointed towards another house. "I don't know why Rocky is reacting like that... he hardly ever barks... and...ROCKY!" A shower of dirt and grass was raining down on her. The dog now was trying to dig under the fence.

"Sorry, Agents... but I have to get that dog in or he'll redesign my garden." She gave them a weak smile. "If you want to know more about the Kellers you should ask Mrs. Haverson... she knows them better." Smiling apologetically she once more grabbed the dog's collar and tried to drag him into the house. "Sorry, one more question... you have not seen anybody near the house?" Booth asked. "No...sorry...!" the voice of the woman and the barks of the dog faded as she shut the front door.

"Mrs. Haverson is it then..." Booth said and the walked to the house Miss Robbins had pointed to.

The dog was barking again. Tammy could hear it... and she could hear the woman shouting at him again. She could not scream as he had left her gagged and fettered. Tammy closed her eyes, hoping that somebody would notice that dog was behaving strange. That maybe something was going on in this house.

She had been relieved as Marks had left her again, but she knew it was only a postponement. He was going to come back... and he was going to hurt her. In fact he had hurt her already, slapping her face when she had tried to evade his touch his caressing her fresh-cut hair.

He had slapped her...and he had yelled: "You are going to get used to me touching you, girl!" Then he had started to gather up the hair he had cut off.  
"I am going to send this to Temperance..." he had muttered while leaving the room.

And now she was alone again... and all she could hear was the barking of the dog echoing in her head.

After some time the dog stopped barking, but she heard him whining. And she heard the woman's voice again, lower now, apparently not shouting at the dog, but talking to somebody. She heard the voices, but she could not make out the words. Frustrated she shook her head. They were so near... and still there was no way for her to draw their attention to her miserable situation.

Suddenly the door flung open and Marks entered the room... his face was wearing an expression she never expected to see on him: panic.

"They are here!" he exclaimed. He cut off the tape fixing her wrists to the chair, but she could not enjoy the feeling of being able to move her hands for long...he used a rope to fetter them again.

Hope aroused in her. 'The voices' she thought 'it must have been police, FBI... whatever.'

He half-dragged her to the garage again and forced her on the front-seat. He glanced outside the little windows of the garage door. He seemed to be watching something or somebody ... until she finally heard him say "Now or never!" and he opened the garage door.

Booth and Brennan were knocking on Mrs. Haverson's door and they heard an elderly woman's voice from the inside: "Yes... wait a minute." Slow steps moved nearer and finally a fragile old woman opened the door. "How can I help you?" she asked.

Booth introduced them and finally said: "We would like to talk a bit about the Keller house, Mrs. Haverson."

All of a sudden there was loud spitting and mewing to be heard from the inside of the house. "Oh... the cats... I am tending the Keller's cat while they are on holiday... she's a diva... my Sammy does not like her a bit!... I have to look... come in, come in... just close the door behind you." Mrs. Haverson was already leaving the room to wherever the cats were fighting audibly.

Brennan and Booth closed the door and followed the elderly woman.


	37. Chapter 37

Chapter 37  
... so close ...

"Sammy... Sammy... it's alright... yes, she's a bad cat... she'll be gone soon, my precious little Sammy... they are coming back soon, okay?" the old woman was babbling to her cat, which was hiding under a chair. A beautiful and big Maine Coon cat was sitting on said chair, apparently not willing to let poor – and definitely – old Sammy come forth.

Brennan rolled her eyes. There was not time for cats right now... they had to find Tammy.

The old woman offered them something to drink, but both of them did not want to loose time and started to question the woman, when they suddenly heard the unmistakable sound of tires. In an instant Booth and Brennan were at the window.

"Booth... the Keller house... that's him ... with Tammy!" Brennan exclaimed.

They stormed out the house and ran to Booth's car to follow the limousine with Marks and Tammy... leaving a very confused Mrs. Haverson behind.

"These young people..." she muttered to herself when they ran out.

Booth immediately passed on the information about the car by phone. By the time they reached Booth's SUV Marks' car was long out of sight.

"He can't be far away" Brennan murmured and Booth sped along the road, searching for the dark limousine, but there were too many intersections.

After some time they had to give up "Damn it, damn it, damn it... we lost him!" he cursed infuriated. Brennan just clenched her fists. 'So close, so close...' she thought.  
They decided to drive back to the lab and neither of them spoke a word while they were driving.

Tammy had seen Tempe and the Agent who had told her he was Tempe's partner... Booth had been his name, right.

She had seen them and she had wanted to scream Tempe's name, but she still was gagged. Marks had been cursing all the time... but he had calmed down a bit when he saw that Booth's dark SUV was not following them. 

"Hah...i think we got rid of them.." he had said... and these few words had dashed Tammy's hope.

But still Marks was breaking every speed limit, trying to get away as fast as possible.

Suddenly a dog crossed their way and Marks lost control over the car...

Tammy heard the noise of the tires, heard him curse and heard herself let out muffled screams... and then everything went black... and she felt nothing anymore.

20 minutes later Booth's cell phone rang. "Booth"  
"Agent Booth? Officer Craig here... we found the car.. he drove it against a tree... it was empty... we think they fled by foot, but we found great amounts of blood... somebody is bleeding hard... I guess they won't make it far... we hope to be able to follow the blood stains to find them" The police men told Booth where to find the car and quickly  
made a u-turn causing other people to honk and gesture.

Then he informed Brennan, who had been watching him curiously.


	38. Chapter 38

Chapter 38  
... imprints ...

When Brennan and Booth reached the scene and investigated the car, Brennan was overwhelmed with relief. Most of the blood was on the driver's seat, so it was Marks who was wounded.

The police men informed them, that they had not been able to track Marks and Tammy, because somewhere the blood stains had stopped and the ground changed, so there were no imprints any more, but that soon search dogs would arrive.

'He realised that he was leaving a trace and stopped it' Brennan mused, then asked  
"Could I go and see where the blood stains stopped?"

"Sure" the officer answered "It's not far... just that way into the forest... I'll show you." Booth, Brennan and Officer Craig walked along the small path, careful not to cross the trace . Brennan's eyes were fixed on the ground.

"He carried her." She stated after some time. "What? Why do you know?" the officer looked at her curiously.

"There are only imprints of one person. Tammy's feet are not nearly that size. Marks is tall and strong, but slim. The imprints are very deep... Apparently he did not leave her in the car,... so I assume that he was carrying her." Brennan explained. Booth only nodded... he had come to the same conclusion too.

"He can not be very fast. He is carrying Tammy AND he is limping... you see how irregular these imprints are? He is limping, he can not charge the left leg properly. That will slow him down." Brennan stated.

"Is there anything where they could hide, anything he would want to go to?" Booth asked.

Officer Craig shrugged. "Not really... there is an old hut, but it's nearly rotten.. " Suddenly his eyes went wide "But if you go south... you'll reach a camping site..."

"Where he could steal another car." Booth added. "Where is this camping site... We have to go there immediately..."

Officer Craig and two other police men left together with Booth and Brennan, to drive to the camping site.

Tammy's senses slowly recovered. The first thing she sensed was that somebody was carrying her. By the muttered curses she could tell it was Marks... and suddenly everything came back to her. The kidnapping... the car... the accident. Marks was carrying her, so she apparently had fallen unconscious when the car crashed into the tree. She had a headache... and knew she must have hit her head somewhere. He had removed her gag, maybe to make sure she could breathe.

Tammy did not dare to open her eyes... what would he do if he knew she was awake again?

"You are awake!" Marks said and put her on the ground "You held your breath."

"Where are we?" Tammy asked. "Since when are you allowed to ask questions?" Marks snapped at her. At this moment he drew out a gun. "You are going to keep your mouth shut. We have to go this way." He pointed towards a small path through the forest.

She eyed him secretly. He was limping and he had bandaged his head, blood was already soaking the improvised bandage made of... of... she looked at him again, then looked down at herself. He had ripped parts of her shirt off to bandage his head... Fortunately she loved to wear oversize t-shirts, so she was still clothed, not half naked.

"Faster... " Marks growled at her, grabbing her arm. Tammy had no time to think of other things anymore, she had to keep her concentration on the path before her, careful not to trip over a root.

After some time the path widened a bit, obviously this part of it was used more often. Tammy saw that somewhere ahead the forest thinned out... and she heard voices.   
Marks heard them too and made her stop. "I do not trust you... you might think of screaming..." his grin was foul when he ripped off another part of her shirt and gagged her with it. Then he loosened the rope around her wrists, but only to tie it around a tree and then fettered her again. Her face was no resting against the rough tree bark and could hardly move.

"I am going to get us a car... then we are going to find us a nice, cosy place, my little toy. Pray that I'll come back safely... nobody is going to find you here." With that he left her.

Booth and Brennan and the others reached the camping site... some kids were playing and everything looked peaceful and normal.

"The children have to go in. It's late anyway" Officer Craig said and one of his men went over to the children to tell them to go inside.

"I guess we'll best split to pairs. Starting from where the forest is directly abutting the site and then move towards the entrance." Booth suggested, he pointed towards the young officer who had told the children to go in "You stay here at the entrance and make sure that nobody leaves." Everybody nodded.

It was already evening and slowly the twilight made the whole place look eerie, since the children had passed on the information that the police had told them to stay indoors. Brennan saw a young woman watch them from the inside of a trailer and gestured towards her to hide inside. The woman's eyes widened at the sight of Booth's gun and she quickly disappeared.

When Booth and Brennan examined the third trailer they saw somebody lurking around a car. The twilight made it impossible for Booth to identify him... but he was tall and slim, just like Marks. "It is him..." Brennan whispered in his ear "Same shape...it could be him!"

Booth nodded. This was too much of a coincidence. It had to be Marks... but where was Tammy? The tall figure looked around and Brennan and Booth ducked behind a bush.

The man opened the door of the car, but then went to the back of the car to disconnect the trailer. Booth and Brennan slowly crept nearer, careful to avoid every sound.


	39. Chapter 39

Dear readers... I really really really have to apologize for the long time it took me to post the last two chapters, but I had computer problems and I had been ill too... but finally, here we are, the last two chapters.

I want to thank you all for your wonderful reviews, you really humble me!!! Thanks, thanks, thanks! now, please enjoy the last two chapters...

* * *

Chapter 39 

... a gunshot ...

"Who's there?" the man suddenly turned around and Brennan could tell by the sound of the voice that .."It's not Marks."

"Who are you?" The man was older than Marks and bearded.

Booth showed his badge "We are searching for somebody... same height as you... we thought he might want to steal a car..."

"Hm... a criminal, here? Why... But I don't have time for this right now... gotta drive to ... the pharmacy... my wife... she... is sick." Booth's senses were on alert... the man seemed to be nervous, his eyes dashing from Brennan to Booth and then to his trailer.

"Of course" he said aloud, winking at Brennan, when she gave him a confused look "But since the police at the entrance is told to let nobody in or out, we will have to go with you..."

"No!" the man exclaimed, his eyes wide with panic.

The door of the trailer flung open and a woman appeared. "Emily!" the man yelled.

Marks appeared behind the woman. "I have a gun here, Agent Booth... and you know that I am going to use it, if you force me to. You better do what I ask. Hello Temperance. So he did find you... what a lucky girl you are."

"Where is Tammy?" Brennan asked.

"You are not in the position to ask questions. Agent Booth, drop your gun. Yes, what a good boy. Now Mr. Adams would you please give me the gun? Your lovely wife will surely appreciate your co-operation." The man hurried forward to get the gun and handed it over to Marks. "And now, Temperance... you'll take this here" he threw over a tape he had brought from the inside of the trailer. "Bind his writs with it... what a good girl you are, Temperance. Now do the same with our Mr. Adams here."

Brennan felt her heartbeat race, while she bound Booth's and the other man's wrists. She wondered where Craig could be, but decided she could not wait for them to show up.

After she finished she turned around to Marks. Her voice was steady when she said "Take me instead of her. Let these people go... you have their car, that's what you wanted. You want me, so let them go."

"Bones!" Booth whispered, but Brennan did not even turn around to look at him. She kept her gaze steadily at Marks.

"Oh... what a nice girl you are, Temperance. Okay, then." He pushed Mrs. Adams forward. "Emily..." Marks said and she shuddered, her eyes brimming with tears. "Emily... would you please use that tape to fetter Temperance?" his words were polite, but his voice was grim and Mrs. Adams quickly did what she was told.

"Bones." Booth whispered again. "Don't..."

"Now... now... Agent Booth.. is that jealousy, because Temperance wants to go with me? You are annoying... but you won't interfere anymore" Marks said with a cold voice and suddenly lifted the gun, aiming at Booth's head. "Say goodbye to your pet FBI, Temperance"

"No!" Brennan screamed, moving towards Marks, but the very same moment the sound of a gun shot echoed in her ears.

Tammy's spirits had lifted, when she had heard voices coming nearer, but they faded away again. She rested her head against the tree and closed her eyes.

She did not know what to hope for. In case Marks would not come back and nobody would find her she would die here... she was not going to celebrate her 11th birthday, she would die with thirst instead... in the middle of nowhere.

'Don't think like that.' She told herself 'There have been voices. Someone is here and someone is going to find you.'

So she started to pray, that Marks would not come back. With Marks not coming back there was a slim chance for her to survive.

With him coming back there was none. She knew it, there was no way of ignoring or denying it. He would rape her, torture her and kill her... she was only 10 years old, but somehow every minute since the kidnapping had made her less child and more adult.

Then suddenly she heard a scream and only an instant later the sound of a gun shot broke the peaceful silence of the forest.

'Oh God... he shot someone... oh God...' Tammy thought and she felt panic arouse in her. Marks had shot somebody and was coming back now. To her. She'd rather die than feel his hands on her. With all her strength she pulled and tore and tried to free herself.

Finally the rope loosened a bit. She frowned at the pain, when it carved into her left wrist, but she was able to free her right one. Moments later her hands were free and she removed her gag.

She decided to sneak up to wherever she had heard the voices and the gun shot.

She knew that she might directly run into Marks again, but on the other hand she did not know how long she would have to go through the forest to find someone, if she chose another direction.

She hoped that whoever had been shot by Marks was not dead... and that she would find somebody to help her.


	40. Chapter 40

Chapter 40  
... dead ...

"My God...He is dead" Mr. Adams exclaimed, holding his wife, who was now completely breaking down, as good as he could with his fettered wrists.

"No big loss!" A male voice from behind Brennan came out of the dark. She quickly turned around.

"Officer Craig... I assume this was you, saving my life?" Booth looked at him. "Good shot!"

Craig nodded. "Thanks...where is the girl?" he asked.

"We do not know. He must have hidden her somewhere... and now... well we can not really question him anymore." Booth said, his voice full of concern for Tammy.

"As if he would have told us." Brennan muttered. Craig had removed the tape around her wrists and she stepped over to Booth to free his hands, then he pulled him in a short embrace. "I am glad you are alive."

Craig politely turned away and freed Mr. Adams hands.

Brennan pulled back and looked at his face. "Booth... we will find her. He would have never told us where to find her... he would have tried to play his sick games again... besides... she must be near. There was not enough time to hide her somewhere else. She has to be in one of the trailers or in the forest."

Booth nodded. "You'll better get your wife inside now, Mr. Adams. A doctor will have a look at both of you later, okay?" The man nodded, carefully leading his wife inside the trailer.

"Now... we have to call an ambulance and we need more people to search the area for Tammy." he added, turning towards Craig. "Yeah... and we have to inform Tammy's parents too."

Suddenly they heard something behind them and all of them whirled around. A small figure was standing near a trailer. 

"Tempe?" the voice was low. "Tammy!" Brennan dashed forward and hugged the girl.  
"Are you alright?" She quickly searched for wounds, but all she found was a little bruise on the head and the marks of the rope around her wrists.

"Did you free yourself?" She asked and Tammy nodded.

"Is he... Is he..." The girl stammered. "He is dead, Tammy. He won't hurt you anymore." Brennan assured her.

"I thought he shot someone... I thought he would come back and ..."  
Brennan saw tears glistening in Tammy's eyes and she pulled her in a tight embrace.  
"It's okay. He wont come back. He won't hurt us anymore." She whispered in her ear and gently rubbed her back. 

"We'll call your parents, okay, Tammy? Go home and forget about him. And if you ever have nightmares of him, remember that he can't come back."

Tammy nodded, sobbing a bit. "Come, we will walk a bit, okay?" Brennan asked her, because she wanted to get her away of the body.

"No... no... I want to see it. I want to see that he is dead. My daddy always says you can only believe what you see with your own eyes. " Tammy pulled back and straightened herself.

She put her hand in Brennan's and they walked over to Marks, hand in hand.  
And in that moment it was not the grown-up woman, but the eleven-year-old-girl in Brennan that was looking down on the body.

Still holding Tammy's hand Brennan lifted her gaze and looked at Booth, who had been watching her. His eyes were full of love and her heart lightened, when looked at the man she loved.

And that moment she knew, she would never have nightmares of Marks again.


End file.
